The Affair of Severus Snape
by Pandor4
Summary: Severus Snape meet the Defense teacher during his seventh year, and what started as a series of innocent detentions soon turned into something much more sensual and much more scandalous. SS/HG, Time-Travel
1. Chapter 1: Meeting and Mistakes

**Time in Memory**

* * *

_**Chapter 1: Meeting and Mistakes**_

* * *

Severus Snape was in his seventh year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry when he first saw her. She was older than he was, maybe by as little as three to five years. Headmaster Dumbledore had just given his start of term speech and had introduced her as the newest defense against the dark arts teacher, Professor Georgia Hernshaw. From where Severus sat she seemed fair skinned, wisps of her wavy brown hair were falling from where she had pinned it earlier, and her cheeks flushed as the students gave a slight applause in her welcome. She was pretty, and should he be pushed, Severus might have even gone to say she was beautiful that night as she smiled out over the hall.

His thoughts tallied on her only for a moment however, as his fellow Slytherine's pulled his attention away. They were all too keen to share the stories of their glorious summer spent traveling to exotic lands and using their parents' gold to buy insignificant trinkets that Severus was sure would be of little interest to them once they had show it off. No one ever asked of his summers. It was a well-known fact that his parents were of little standing and therefore Severus's summers would also be less then extraordinary.

This suited Severus fine. He was content to sit near his peers and listen to their stories, if only it meant that he would not have to have the painful experience of sharing his own. One of the more interesting stories that he heard while sitting at the house table was from Regulas Black, who was a year younger than he. Apparently, Sirius Black had recently decided that he would no longer be residing with the rest of the family and had abandoned his own home in order to spend the remainder of the summer with the Potters. It was unsurprising, and Severus did not even bother to turn in his seat to take a look at his two rivals.

However, his eyes did drift back up to the new professor when the conversation had turned to her. "Do you think she will be any good?" Regulas asked to no one in particular.

"I don't know. She doesn't look like much, does she?" one of the younger student's put in. "She's so small a slight wind might take her away."

Severus let his eyes travel over the professor. He would not have categorized her as small. She was slim, lean, curved in the right places and as she reached over for her goblet Severus could just barely make out the faint definition of muscles in her arm. Professor Hernshaw would not be carried away by any wind.

"She's a better looker that that lady McGonagall though," Rabastan said, although not pleasantly and Severus could see the way he leered up at her. "Must be a mudblood though. No family caries the name of Hernshaw."

Severus glanced up again at the professor who seemed completely oblivious to the conversation that was taking place down at the Slytherin table as she chatted animatedly to Professor Flitwick. "She is of little use to you then," Severus supplied lazily as he turned his gaze from Hernshaw to Rabastan.

"There is only one use for a mudblood like her," Rabastan replied as he made a rude gesture in Severus's direction.

"Spare us. The only reason you would even consider taking a mudblood in such a fashion is because you are still sore that Bellatrix choose Rodolphus over you."

"And when was the last time you got any, Snape. You don't have ladies lining up outside your bedroom door," Rabastan bit back.

"It would save everyone a headache if you two just stopped this inane argument," Regulus supplied as he reached between the two for a pitcher of pumpkin juice. Severus looked once more up at the staff table just in time to see the professor turn her face fully to the Slytherin table. Her eyes were shining as she grinned at something Flitwick had said and her gaze fell briefly upon Severus and the rest of the Slytherins who were staring straight back up at her. Her gaze seemed to pause a moment before she gave a brief nod in the direction of their table and returned her full attention to the professor beside her.

"I will keep to my argument that she is worth little to us if she is both inept at her art and of less than pure decent," Severus replied as he turned back to Regulus. He might think that she was pretty and that she may even be capable given the chance to prove herself, but it was little use to encourage interest from the other Slytherins, especially in the way Rabastan was thinking. It would be best to just let it go for the time being. "Will you pass those potatoes?" he asked, changing the subject before Rabastan had a chance to reply.

* * *

It was the next morning when Professor Slughorn was passing out schedules that the new professor made her way to Severus's attention once again. Defense Against the Dark Arts was the first class of the day, paired with the Gryfindors of course. Slipping the parchment into his pocket he frowned down at his toast and orange. When he had gotten his materials list for this year the Defense Against the Dark Arts book had not been listed. He had of course gone to Flourish & Blotts and asked to purchase the assigned text, but apparently Professor Hernshaw had specifically not assigned a text. It had irked him, not being able to be prepared for the first class of the year. He looked up at the staff table. Apparently the professor had already had breakfast, or had skipped it in preference of preparing for class.

Slipping his orange into his bag Severus stood up and walked from the great hall. If he could not prepare himself through reading an assigned text, he might as well make a good impression and be early for the new professor's class. His thoughts wondered to and fro as he made his way up the stairs to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Would he enjoy the class, or would she be just as incompetent as her predecessor, Professor Ives. How did she expect to keep her classes focused without a text? And for that matter, what would they be focusing on this year?

What Severus had not been expecting when he finally made it to the classroom, however, was his professor bent over at the waist as she riffled through a rather packed looking trunk that was placed at the end of her desk. He could not help but look over his professor, his cheeks reddening slightly as his eyes lingered on his professor's backside. Clearing his throat, he made his presence known, "Good morning, Professor."

He had expected her to pop up and turn to him but instead all he got was a quick hand wave beaconing him forward. "Hello, could you come over here and give me a hand with some of this junk?" Her voice was sweet and low and Severus found himself standing slightly behind her as he peaked into the trunk to see a second rather heavy looking box that was sitting inside of it. "I just need some help getting this up onto the desk."

"Alright," he replied as he stepped up to one end of the trunk with his professor standing at the other end. He bent down and grabbed one of the handles on the other side of the box.

"On the count of three," She said as she looked up into his eyes and Severus could not help but wonder at how her eyes were the perfect shade of brown. "One…two…three!" With a huge heave the box came free of the trunk and landed on the desk. Professor Hernshaw leaned over the box, her face slightly flushed from having been bent down. "Thank you, Mr. Snape." She said as she smiled at him. He did not even ponder the fact that she already knew his name, all he could think was that she was more beautiful than he had first thought when he had seen her at the welcome feast.

"You are quite welcome," he replied, unable to keep the slightly nervous smile that formed on his face. Standing there for a moment unsure of what to say he finally cleared his throat, "What is in the box?"

She grinned a bit as she patted it. "Isn't that the secret," she replied playfully as she walked from behind the desk and back over to her trunk. "You will have to wait until class starts for that one, but until then I have something for you." She closed the lid of her trunk and Severus could now see that it had multiple compartments. He wondered briefly how much it had cost her to get that feature, but his thoughts were cut short as the trunk opened back up and a number of books came into view. "Your textbook, Mr. Snape," She said as she reached in and took one from the top.

Severus took it from her and couldn't help but blurt out the first thought that came to mind. "This is muggle." He knew as soon as the words slipped out of his mouth that he should not have said that.

"Is that going to be a problem?" Professor Hernshaw snapped back, her face no longer as open and as cheerful as when he had first walked in. Severus looked down at the book. The cover was obviously muggle plastic, and the pages looked as if they had been, what was the word, photocopied?

"I will have no problems with it," he replied sheepishly as he opened the book to look inside at the contents. Different texts appeared to have been hand chosen and put together into a collaborated text.

"Good, I would hate to think that we would set out on the wrong foot after we had been getting along so well," The professor replied as she went and sat behind her desk and took a look at the small timepiece that sat face-up at the corner of the desk. "Go ahead and take a seat and look through the first few pages. The rest of your classmates should be arriving soon enough." Severus watched as she took her wild curls down from the ribbon she had used to tie them up. They flooded down around her face and she watched as he went to take his seat.

When nearly all of the students had filed in Professor Hernshaw stood in front of her trunk and whipped out her wand. "As I am sure you are all aware, I am Professor Hernshaw." Her voice was cooler than when Severus had been talking to just her, but he supposed that was to be expected as he watched her survey the students that sat in front of her. "This will be a no nonsense class. I expect each and every one of you to work hard in preparation for your N.E.W.T.S. However, that doesn't mean that this has to be a painful experience. I hope that each and every one of you will find this class an engaging and informative experience that will help you when you are no longer a student here are Hogwarts."

The professor paused and caught her breath before continuing. "Now I am sure that some of you have been wondering about your text for this class." Severus saw a few of his fellow students nod at this. "These," Hernshaw said as she waved her wand and floated the text out to the students, "will be your text. All of the readings will come from this book that I have specifically put together for your use. In addition, all homework assignments have been listed at the end of each section. I expect assignments to be turned in at the beginning of each Monday class." Professor Hernshaw was about to open her mouth to continue, but the door to the classroom was slowly being pushed open.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Black," Professor Hernshaw commented, sounding none too pleased. Now that the door was fully open Severus could see the two Gryfindors standing guiltily in the doorway. "I see that after seven years of attending this school you are still incapable of finding your way to this classroom. Shall I take this also as an indicator as to your abilities in my subject?"

"Sorry, Professor," Black replied, Severus doubted the truth behind that though.

"Won't happen again," Potter put in. False promises to Severus's ears.

"Make sure that it doesn't," the Professor replied as she floated two more text to them. "Take your seats." She was about to start again when Severus saw that Rabastan had his hand up. "Yes, Mr. Lestrange."

"These are quite obviously muggle, Professor Hernshaw," he began with a pompous drawl as he pushed it away from him on his desk. "Is it possible for you to get books that do not use this infernal material?" he asked as he tapped on the plastic covering. Severus could see the professor's scowl coming back.

"There is nothing wrong with your textbook and I will not be providing you any new ones," came the curt reply.

Severus was not sitting too near Rabastan, but he could still make out his idiotic classmates cursing of the professor. Frowning to himself he turned his attention back to the professor. He was sure that she was able to hear Rabastan, but apparently chose to simply ignore it.

"If there are no more question's I would like to get going with what I have prepared for today. While I think that you are all familiar enough with throwing curses back and forth at each other we are going to be looking at a more subtle technique that your adversaries may use," she paused as she patted the box that Severus had helped her move earlier, "and that is of course, cursed objects.

While you may find the simple _revelo_ a bit bellow you in level, it takes a great deal more patience to be able to effectively negate the effects of the cursed objects. There are a number of spells that are listed within the first chapter of your book. Inside of this box there are also a number of objects that I have cursed. You will each take a pair of charmed gloves and take one object back to your desk and use the information provided within your textbook to try and break the curse. I will of course be coming around to answer questions as you have them." She paused and looked around the classroom, "Does anyone have any questions? Very well, let us begin!"

* * *

It was most definitely one of the better defense lessons that Severus had been to in his seven years at Hogwarts. Professor Hernshaw had been quick to help those that were obviously struggling, gave subtle suggestions to those that had a loose grasp on the spell and had been able to prompt further thought from those students that had quickly gotten a handle on the spell. The class had run smoothly and the professor had made it clear that she wanted a section of her 'muggle' book read for the next class period.

Severus was on his way back to his dorms when he heard the cold insulting voice of Sirius Black behind him, "Look there, James. There goes, Snivellus. Wonder if he has been crying because he already misses Mummy and Daddy." Severus stopped in his tracks and turned on his heals to face his life-long rivals as they made ridiculous weeping faces in his direction.

"I heard that your Mummy doesn't love you anymore, maybe it should be you that is crying," Severus hissed back as he fingered the wand that was in a holster around his wrist.

"What would you know about it, I bet your mum doesn't love you anymore than mine loves me," Sirus replied, contempt seeping into his voice before he continued, "I mean, who could ever love a grease-ball like you!"

"A greasy, sniveling crying little boy," James added in as he stepped up besides Sirius. "No wonder we never see you with any girls. Who would want to be friends with the likes of you."

Severus felt the urge to growl as he watched Sirius pull out his own wand. "I have yet to see you convince Lily to be your girlfriend yet, Potter. Maybe she realizes you are just an idiot who will never accomplish anything in life!"

"Why you… Furnunculus!" Sirius shouted. Severus barely had time to get his wand in hand a put up a quick protego, before the spell fizzled harmlessly off of the shield.

"Adustum," James yelled. Severus watched as the burning hex thankful hit the stone wall and dissipated before catching anything on fire. He whipped his head back around to glare at James. It apparently was no longer harmless curses that could be fixed within the day. They meant serious damage, like they always had. Fingering his wand he made the split-second decision. It was time to test out one of the new curses that he had come up with over the summer. He would end this argument with Potter and Black forever. They would never dare torment him again. They wouldn't put him in life-threatening situations as they had last year at the whomping willow. This ended now.

Raising his wand before him and pointing it down at Black, the worse of the two. He muttered the incantation as he pushed all of his magic through his wand and he slashed it through the air, "Sectum Sempra." The curse hurtled out of his wand and before Black had a chance to block it, the curse hit its mark. Severus watched in a mix of horror and satisfaction as he watched Black hit the ground, blood slowly beginning to seep through his cloths while James had dropped down beside him casting every healing spell he knew.

Severus's satisfaction however quickly vanished as he looked and saw Professor Hernshaw running towards them. He felt the adrenaline vanish from his system and felt a sudden weakness in his knees. What had possessed him to act so rashly?

* * *

**_AN: well here I go again. Starting another one. Ever wonder why there are no stories (that I can find) that have Hermione going back and time and not being –exactly- Severus's age. Well, here you go. Hernshaw is Hermione back in time. Older, more mature and an interest to Severus to boot! Hopefully I will be able to get a few more chapters now that I have forced them to have interaction in at least the next few chapters._**

**_Hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Please let me know what you thought of it!_**


	2. Chapter 2: A Long Line of Detentions and

The Affair of Severus Snape

Chapter 2: A Long Line of Detentions and Possible Intentions

* * *

Severus watched in fascination as Professor Hernshaw threw a multitude of healing spells at Black's bloodied form. The weakness in his knees only grew worse as he saw no changes in Black's condition. He knew as soon as the curse had left his wand that he had made one of the biggest mistakes of his entire Hogwarts career. He had not created a suitable counter-curse.

What would happen if Black actually died? He would undoubtedly be expelled, his wand possibly snapped, and thrown into Azkaban to rot. A small voice in the back of his head told him he should be happy, and that his was exactly what Black deserved. But that small voice was drowned out by his overlying worry of what would happen.

"Professor, you have got to save him!" James begged to the professor. Potter would never forgive him if Black died.

Professor Hernshaw whipped her face up to look at him. "What spell did you use?" she demanded, her own voice as frantic as Severus's own thoughts were.

"Sectum Sempra," he replied, his voice cracking. The reaction was not what he had expected. Rather then pushing the professor into even more panic and confusion over not knowing what the spell was, it seemed to almost make her more calm and sure of herself.

"Of course," the professor muttered to herself. He watched as the professor quickly knelt back down besides Black and with a twirl of her wand added with a spell whispered so soft he could not make it out, the skin that had been cut open seemed to be pulling itself back together.

"Thank Merlin," he sighed to himself, before he realized the words had left his mouth. Bringing a shaky hand to his forehead, he whipped away the slight sheen sweat that had formed on his brow. He was not going to be thrown into Azkaban. How the Professor had healed Black, he didn't care. All that really mattered was that he hadn't killed Black today.

His reprieve did not last long however as the angry gaze of Professor Hernshaw and James Potter fell upon him. "Thank Merlin, indeed, Mr. Snape," she snapped angrily before casting a silent levitation charm on Black. "Had I not been making my way down this hallway, Mr. Black would now be dead, and the consequences for that would be far more severe. Do you understand?"

"Of course, Professor," Severus replied meekly, unable to hold her fierce gaze.

"Good follow me. We are bringing Mr. Black to the infirmary." She walked away from both him and Potter, Black floating behind her. Severus looked over at Potter, waiting for him to move. There was no way he was going to let the other angry boy behind him.

"You are a bastard, Snape. A fucking bastard," the other boy whispered angrily as he took a quick glance towards the professor making sure she had not heard him, before he stalked off after his fellow injured marauder. Severus followed more slowly, letting Potter's words roll over him. Maybe he was, to them at least. It was not as though they did not dish out their own amount of nastiness though.

While Severus had thought that the trip up to the infirmary would be silent, he was surprised when the Professor began to speak.

"Mr. Snape, the damage you inflicted upon Mr. Black is severe. Within all rights I would have recommend that you be expelled had I not seen the curses that were first being thrown at you. Mr. Potter, that spell could have also inflicted serious and irreversible damage on Mr. Snape had it found its target." Severus took a quick glance towards Potter. The other boy didn't even show the least bit of guilt as he held his head high. Severus couldn't help but frown at the other boy.

"However, because I can only monitor so many detentions, I will be leaving Mr. Potter's and Mr. Black's punishment to Professor McGonagall. Mr. Snape, you will be serving detentions every weekday with me after dinner. I expect you to be at my office door promptly at seven, every evening until winter break."

"Very well," Severus replied softly as they made their way up the set of stairs to the infirmary. As they came to the top of the stairs, Professor Hernshaw stopped at the landing, leaving the two seventh year boys to look up at her. Her brow was crinkled in anger and her lips set into a tight line, and her hands had found their way to her hips. Severus felt his heart sink. Never before had a Professor been able to make him feel as guilty as she did.

"I am sure I don't need to lecture you on the dangers of dueling. This is evidence enough, and I know from the other professors that they have lectured you on it far too many times. I will say however, that I will not stand to see either of you fighting in the halls again. I may be a new professor here, but that does not mean I will allow such behavior to continue. I would highly recommend that both of you clean up your acts."

Severus only nodded, and it seemed that Potter was even beginning to feel a bit abashed for his actions.

"Professor McGonagall will be speaking to you directly, Mr. Potter. And Mr. Snape, I will see you this evening. Now off with both of you."

Severus did not need to be told twice. Without taking a glance back at the curly haired Professor and his hated rival, he fled to the dungeons.

* * *

Later that evening Severus was standing in front of the professor's door with sweaty palms and slightly queasy stomach. At dinner, his fellow slytherins had congratulated him on having the gall to put Black into the infirmary before the first week of term had even passed. They had been less impressed that he had detention until Christmas break. It was not very sneaky of him after all. Regardless, it had gotten Severus more attention then he was used to.

Now however, it was time to face the music and go to the first detention of a long series of detentions. He had no idea what to expect from this new professor. No one had been given detentions with her yet. Who would, it was only the first week of term! He could only hope that they would not be so tedious that he would be unable to get through to winter break.

Raising his hand he gave a quick rap of the door. The professor's tired voice drifted out through the door. "Come in, Mr. Snape." He opened up the door and walked in. The professor was sitting in the chair behind her desk, a mess of papers strewn around her and her hair pulled up to reveal the nape of her neck as she leaned over one of her scrolls. She looked up as he approached the desk and pushed herself back from the desk.

"Well, Mr. Snape, welcome to the first detention of the year." Her voice was tired, and as Severus looked unto her eyes, he could see that the spark that had originally been there earlier that morning was missing. When he didn't say anything she continued. She leaned back in her chair, her hands gripping the arms of the chair. "Do you regret cursing, Mr. Black?" The question was calm, and her faced seemed to relax as she looked up into his own.

That was all it took to put Severus's mind into overdrive. Usually professors wasted no time and would just give him a menially task, maybe a brief lecture, but they never asked him how he felt about what he had done, or done so in such a relaxed manner. He stared back at her for a moment. Did he regret cursing Black? He did not regret that Black had gotten hurt. He regretted that he had not been able to remove the curse when he felt it needed to be. He regretted getting caught. "In a way," he said carefully.

"Expand, Mr. Snape," she prompted. "What do you regret from today."

He licked his lips nervously, and suppressed the urge to fidget under her gaze. "My choice of curse." It seemed to appease her. The professor relaxed more into her chair and nodded thoughtfully to herself.

"Yes, you did seem sort of shocked in spot when I showed up. It is an impressive curse, very hard to staunch the bleeding," she said as though they were discussing a textbook curse rather than Black who had been on the ground, bleeding to death. She motioned for him to sit down in the chair in front of the desk. "Well, at least I know you are truthful, not spouting of a story about being regretful about cursing Mr. Black."

Severus, who was lowering himself down into the uncomfortable wooden chair that sat across form the Professor's desk, looked up at her in slight surprise. He expected that she would want him to feel remorseful about Black. "He is not my favorite person here at Hogwarts," he supplied, his voice slightly rough.

"Oh, I know. As I said earlier, I have heard all about it. Now, why did you regret that particular curse." She pushed on, digging deeper.

"One should never use a spell that you don't know how to undo," He replied quietly as he looked at the doorway with a slight longing, rather then at the professor.

"A truer statement was never issued," the professor agreed. Severus shifted slightly as the professor regarded him silently, her eyes intensely staring into his before she continued. "The spell was your own, wasn't it?" It was a blunt statement. It was not accusatory and the professor seemed to say it with pure curiosity as she looked over at him.

Severus returned her gaze uncomfortably. None of the other professors knew he was dabbling with spell crafting. It was the ace up his sleeve, so to say. A hidden talent. "I would ask that you don't share that with anyone else."

"For now I wont. I just hope this is a lesson in the dangers of testing uncompleted work." The professor stood up and walked over to the window that overlooked the grounds before she turned back to look at him. "You are very lucky that I knew a suitable general counter-cures. Not as effective as one that would have been designed for your specific curse. Mr. Black will most likely suffer from rather sever scarring, but better then bleeding out."

Severus found himself merely nodding to what the professor was saying.

"You are probably wondering about how these detentions will go," she prompted as she leaned up against the windowsill.

"Yes," Severus supplied as he shifted in his seat. He could just imagine doing lines every night for the next few months. It seemed to amuse his professor though, because the corners of her mouth began to quirk up at his apparent discomfort.

"I have spent most of the afternoon trying to think up an appropriate punishment, but I came up with very little. Minerva suggested that I make you go work out in the Forbidden Forest for the next few weeks. I think she was secretly hoping you would be eaten for hurting one of her Gryffindors." She paused briefly.

"I didn't think that would be appropriate though. None of the regular detentions that the professors here have given you have ever worked to change the behavior between you and that group of Gryffindor. And, while detentions are here to serve as a punishment, you are also suppose to learn from them, so I have decided that your first task will to be finishing the counter-curse for the curse you created. I want to see two detailed parchments on it, one on the curse itself, and one on the counter-curse. Is that acceptable?"

Severus was surprised to say the least. When he had walked in the door he had been expecting to do something like lines for the next few weeks. Now he was being offered a space to work on his spells, away from the other students. Of course he could agree to that. "Yes." That was all he needed to say in response to that sort of request.

The professor was smiling now, and not nearly as worn looking as she had been when he had first walked in. So far this was proving to be the strangest detention he had ever had.

"There is of course the small request that goes along with this. I want you to stop this ridiculous feud you have with Mr. Black and Mr. Potter. No more curses being thrown in between you, and try and cut back on the insults. Just ignore them if you have to. Walk away from them."

He could already feel his heart beginning to sink. Of course there were strings attached. Asking for their rivalry to end was like asking someone to capture the moon and bring it back.

He must have been showing his dislike of the request, because the professor continued on. "I don't expect it to be overnight, but a concrete effort on your part would be required. If not we can go back to doing something as dull as lines from now until Christmas." Her eyes seemed to twinkle as she said it. She knew that she had him. He would try just about anything to get out of that many lines.

"Very well. I will try and be more civil." The words were rough in his mouth, but he forced them out regardless.

"Very good!" the professor said as she clapped her hands, smiling at him. She walked over to a bookcase that stood in the corner of her office. "I have pulled together some resources you may not have come across thus far. If any of the books are of interest to you, or you think the will help you with your first two essays for me you are welcome to borrow them." She motioned him over, and Severus could not help but wonder at how long she had planned on giving him this opportunity if she already had books pulled out for him. It was as if she had been planning this all along.

There were copies of books he had already looked over such as _Basic Spellcrafting_, _The Arithmacy behind the Wand: A complete overview_, and _Creative Wand Weaving: A spell guide. _But there were also a number of books that he had not come across before. It was as he browsed over the titles that her sweet low voice interrupted him. "What do you think?" she asked.

"It is a very nice collection," he was forced to admit as he turned his attention back to his professor who was now sitting back behind her desk. "Are they all yours?"

"Yes. As you are aware, it is always nice to have a few spells only you know. It helps when you are in a tight spot." Severus found himself nodding it was a logical argument. "Now, I believe you have an assignment to work on for me. Let me know if you have any questions."

"Of course," Severus replied as he watched her opened her own book to read. Then, without even really thinking of saying it four simple words slipped from his tongue. "Thank you, Professor Hernshaw."

* * *

AN: maybe getting of a bit easily, oh well. I just cant see her assigning something as unproductive as writing lines.


	3. Chapter 3: New Tasks

**The Affair of Severus Snape**

**Chapter Three: New Tasks**

* * *

Severus was sitting in the library, doing his defense homework when Rabastan dropped his bag opposite of him and sat down at the table. Severus looked up over the top of the defense book and raised an eyebrow at his housemate. Rabastan was not known for his studious habits and the only reason he would be in the library was if he wanted something, of which Severus had no doubt.

"I can't believe you are reading that crap," Rabastan said lowly as he looked down at the muggle-looking book in distaste. "None of _us_ are touching it, nasty mudblood material."

"We will see how you fair in your NEWTS then," Severus replied as he looked back down at his text. Really, what did Rabastan want him to say to that? That he was sorry that the professor was an incompetent mudblood-lover? That would only bring fuel to the fire.

"How are your detentions going? I don't think I could stand being alone in the same room with such a person for that long. It amazes me that you haven't asked for your detentions to be reassigned yet. Even Filtch would be better."

Severus looked up through the hair that had fallen in front of his face. "What do you want, Rabastan?"

At once Rabastan began to smirk. Severus could only cringe inwardly. Rabastan wanted a favor. "Oh, nothing to terrible," Rabastan began, "None of us have been very happy with the new addition to the staff. But since you are spending so much time with the new professor, we were hoping that you could learn a bit more about her, possibly her heritage. _He_ wouldn't be too pleased if he learned a mudblood was teaching."

Severus felt an involuntary shiver run down the back of his spine. The Slytherins wanted information for _him_, the dark lord. Severus cleared his throat and bravely looked Rabastan in the eye. "Why would you bother with such a thing? Surely, _he_ has better things to be doing with his time."

"He is very concerned with what is going on inside of Hogwarts. Lucius told me so the last time I wrote to him. We can not have pureblood minds being tainted by any inferior," Rabastan said, the conviction evident in his voice. "Lucius told me to have her watched and find out what her true heritage is. Surely such a task isn't too hard for a half-blood like you."

Severus's face darkened. While it was a known fact that he was a half-blood, it was not often that it got thrown in his face like that. "No," he growled out as he glared at Rabastan, "that isn't a hard task at all."

"We knew we could count on you," Rabastan replied lightly as he picked his bag up off the tabletop. "Lucius will be in contact with you," and with that the Slytherin got up and left.

As he walked away, Severus couldn't help but have a feeling of guilt begin to settle into his stomach. He had let his temper get the best of him, and now Lucius would be expecting something. They had meet briefly over the summer in Diagon Alley. Lucius had been trying to convince Severus that once he left school he should go to work for the Dark Lord. Severus had been sure that he would not be accepted because of his blood. Lucius had been sure that he would be because of his potions.

He looked down at his textbook and over to the parchment he had been writing his essay on. Professor Hernshaw was without a doubt the best defense teacher they had ever had. The passages in the book were thorough thought provoking and the lessons engaging. The rest of the Slytherins seemed less capable of seeing her amiable qualities, and now he was being given a new task for his detentions, getting to know Professor Hernshaw.

* * *

"Welcome, Mr. Snape, to your second week of detention," Professor Hernshaw said as she opened the door to her office. There was a slight grin on her face as she motioned him in and Severus could not help but be taken in yet again by the sight of her. He quickly found his way to the seat in front of her desk and pulled out his red leather bound book in which he kept all of his spell-crafting notes.

The professor took her own chair behind the desk and she leaned forward on the desk, an excited glint in her eye. "What do you have for me today, Mr. Snape?" she asked. These detentions were becoming more and more un-detention like. Last week it had taken the first two days for Severus to get his bearings, but Professor Hernshaw seemed truly interested in his work and had gone over his previous notes on the spell with him and had pointed him in the direction for the counter-curse.

"I have been working on some of the wand movements for the counter-curse," Severus replied as he flipped through the creamy pages of his book, before he got to one of the later pages that had colorful diagrams drawn out over the page. The professor nodded as he leaned forward and he pushed the book forward across the table for her to see more easily. Leaning in over it also, he began pointing to some of the different charts.

"Here I was thinking that a relatively good twirl, followed by a strong jab might do the trick. The jab would obviously go with the viscus of _Adstringo Viscus_, rather than with the adstigo." Severus explained, before pausing quickly to glance up at his professor. Her face was so close to his as they leaned over the book together. Her full concentration was gathered in examining his work.

"Are you sure about using Adstringo for the spell?" She asked as she was looking at the page. Clausus may work better. It flows more smoothly off the tongue and may be easier to coordinate with the twirl. _Clausus Viscus_." Her head tilted up to look at him. Severus leaned back quickly. They were a bit _too_ close.

"Yes, I suppose you are right. Adstigo has a larger number of harsher syllables to it. I might have to rework some of the arithmancy around it to make sure that the wand movements would fit in correctly with it, but it could be done," he replied thoughtfully as he went to dig in his bag for a quill and some ink. As he dug in his quill he looked over at the Professor. Her hair was falling down around her face again and she was in more casual attire tonight, rather than her teaching robes. Not that Severus thought that she looked any less beautiful in either.

"Professor, if you don't mind me asking. Where did you learn about spell-crafting?" It was his own curiosity about her, stemming from his ever-increasing admiration of her, that seemed to make his say things before he could clamp his tongue.

She leaned back in her chair as she set his book down. "Mostly the same place you have, I imagine. At least at first. I was a very studious when I was in school and tried to absorb every piece of information I could. That of course included spell-crafting. I took a job at the department of mysteries, however, and that mostly resolved around spell analysis and spell crafting."

Severus was impressed. It was not easy to get a job at the ministry, let alone within the department of mysteries. "Why aren't you working there anymore?" Severus asked as he opened up his inkbottle and flipped to a new page. If he had not glanced up briefly he would have not noticed the slight falter in the Professor's happy gaze.

"There were a few occurrences and I was unable to continue working there as I had been previously. Needless to say, I am glad for the chance to be at Hogwarts for the year. I imagine I will eventually go back to the department," She explained as she swiveled her chair from side to side.

"Well, I am glad that you came," Severus replied, the corners of his mouth turning upwards as he spoke. "I don't think any of the other professors would have helped me with my spells as much as you have, and I imagine I would have been writing lines for the rest of my life."

"Undoubtedly," the professor replied, a smile gracing her own lips. "But, enough about me, and more about this spell. I think you have been making tremendous progress on it. When the wand movements are complete it should only be a few more minor tweaks and it should be ready."

Severus nodded as he scribbled out a few notes on the page in front of him. "I am glad that this is almost complete. It is always very satisfying when I finally finish a new spell," he replied.

"When you have turned in your first two assignments, I would love to see the others that you have crafted," the professor proceeded as she stood up from her own chair to move over to the bookcase. Severus glanced up from his notes to her. If anyone else had asked him that he most likely would have said no, but because it was her he found himself easily giving in to her request.

"Of course. I imagine I will have your essays finished by next week."

"Very good," Professor Hernshaw replied. She smiled over at him again, and Severus could not stop from giving a small smile back.

They continued working for quite some time. He would sometimes interrupt her reading with a question of his own. They would discuss it momentarily, and then they would fall back into an easy quite with his pen scratching across the surface of his book, while every so often she would gently turn the page. It was not until there was a soft chirp from a small clock that sat near the corner of her desk that either of them noticed how late it had become.

Professor Hernshaw pushed her book away from her and took a look at the clock. "You had better hurry now," she began quietly, as she tilted the clock to get a better look at it. "I am afraid I have kept you here closer to curfew then I had intended."

"That's alright, Professor. I was too caught up to notice anyways. I think I have almost finished it," Severus replied as he softly closed the book, and locked its clasp. "I will see you tomorrow at the same time?" he asked as he packed up the contents of his bag.

"Of course," the professor said, her voice silky and smooth to Severus's ears.

"Very well, until tomorrow. Good night, Professor." With a nod of his head he stepped out the door.

"Good night, Mr. Snape. Sleep well."

* * *

Severus could not remember a time when he was quite so content. He spent the days working on potions and the evenings working on spells. He was rarely interrupted by anyone, and he had the guidance of his newly found Professor Hernshaw. She was able to smoothly follow the logic of his work, and was always able to provide extra insight where needed.

As he sat looking over the lake, however, he knew that it would not last. The impending confrontation with Black was a sure thing in his mind. That coupled with the hanging task set by Rabastan was enough to put dark clouds on the future. However, for the time being he would be content with his work.

He looked down at the potions textbook that he was slowly working his way through. Much the same as the last two years, he was slowly making his own modifications to the potion recipes in order to enhance the performance and production of each. And despite Professor Slughorn being head of Slytherin, he was rarely awarded anything more then a quick nod and a few measly points. It was both frustrating and gratifying. On one hand he would like at least some acknowledgement of his skills from the master potion maker, and on the other hand he did not want the attention from his piers. It was a difficult balance.

He watched with casual indifference as new figure began to traverse around the edge of the lake. As the figure slowly grew closer to his own spot near the far side of the lake, he began to recognize the distinct characteristics of his admired professor. Severus found himself closing his book and leaning back against his tree to watch her progress. Her small lean frame carried her at a leisurely pace along the margins of the lake, and her thick curly hair was down for once and blowing gently with the slight wind.

Severus knew that he should not be adding to his admiration of his professor. It was far too reminiscent of the ways in which he admired Lily Evans. Although the professor appeared to be only a few years older then himself, and not enough to deter affection, the student relationship that he currently had with her would not be encouraging to his growing affections. Sighing to himself, he closed his eyes and let his head fall back to rest firmly against the tree.

One thing was certain; having detentions with her every night was not helping.

* * *

It was one week later, after Severus and Professor Hernshaw had been discussing the actual wording of the counter-curse, that he finished his two essays for her. He had carefully rolled the two parchments and closed them with dark green ribbon. This was among the most complicated spell work he had done so far, and he was proud of his work. Admittedly it was not the sort of spell that he would be sharing in a charms class, but it was an advanced piece of spell work all the same.

He climbed the stairs out of the dungeons, his rolls of parchment cradled safely in his hands as he walked to his detention. So deep in thought about what the Professor might think of his essays that it wasn't until when he was passing by the great hall that he was interrupted from his thoughts.

"Snape!" someone shouted from behind him. Turning around Severus saw Black standing in the hallway. The Gryfindor was alone and walking very quickly towards him, and Severus could already make the angry frown that graced the other boy's features, the bright moonlight enhancing the visibility within the dimly lit hallway.

"Was there something you wanted, Black," Severus asked, drawing his words out slowly.

"You didn't really think that I was going to let you get away with what you did. Did you?" Black barked out angrily as he stopped within a few feet of Severus.

"And just what do you plan on doing about it? It is over and done with. You are healed and I am in detentions for weeks to come," Severus replied smoothly, although he could already begin to feel his palms sweat slightly. Black was most certainly not known for his live and let live policy.

"You maimed me," the other boy growled out as he pulled the neckline of his shirt to the side. Severus could see just under Black's collarbone where the curse had hit, an ugly red scar ran down and out of sight. "I want a wizard's duel."

"A duel?" Severus replied, a frown forming on his face. "I highly doubt any of the teachers would let us duel. Now if you don't mind, I am going to my detention."

As Severus turned to leave, Black let out unamused bark of laughter. "That is just like you Slytherins. Going to slither away and hide. You are a coward."

Severus whipped his head around to glare at back at Black. "I am no coward," he hissed, his fist clenching.

"Then duel me," Black said in a seductively low voice as he stepped forwards towards Severus. "Tonight at midnight, go out to the whomping willow. There is a knot towards the base, press it and climb into the opening under the tree. Follow the path. We won't be disturbed there."

"Fine," Severus replied, his voice tight as he warily regarded Black. "Are we bringing seconds?"

"No, this is going to be finished between just you and me," Black replied easily, his eyes almost glowing in anticipation.

"Very well. Now if you are done, I am going to my detention."

"Don't be late, Snivillus," Black replied as he walked past Severus pushing him hard as he passed. Stumbling back a bit Severus watched in distaste as the other boy left. It was only once Black was around the corner and out of sight that Severus let out a soft sigh and looked down at his essays. Not only were they crumpled now, from where he had clenched his fist, but he was running late.

Grumbling to himself about idiotic Gryfindors, Severus made his way up to his next detention, trying to clear his mind of the coming confrontation.

* * *

AN: Hope you enjoyed. Please R&R


	4. Chapter 4: Committed Responsibility & Pu

**The Affair of Severus Snape**

Chapter 4: Committed Responsibility & Purposeful Delinquency

* * *

He looked down at the papers that were in his hand. Completely crumpled and now that he was standing in front of his professor's door, he could not for the life of him remember a simple smoothing spell. Frustrated, he knocked on the door, even though the professor had repeatedly told him over the past two weeks to simply enter when he had arrived.

He waited just a moment before he heard the expected, "Come in." Pushing the door open with his free hand, he walked slowly into the office. And as usual, there she was sitting behind the desk, quill in hand, a bottle of ink open on the desk before her, and a number of student essays strewn in a haphazard way across the desk. "How are you doing today, Mr. Snape?"

"Fine. I finished your essays on my curse and counter-curse," he said, straining his voice in order to not sound too reluctant as he went to sit down in the chair across from her.

She looked up from the paper she had been grading and looked expectantly at the scrolls that were in his hand, a smile spreading to her lips as she saw the dark green ribbons that encircled the scrolls. "Can I see them?" she asked, her voice sounding breathy and excited to Severus.

"Yes, I am sorry about them getting crumpled." He did not offer that he could not remember the simple charm to remove the creases in the parchment.

"Not a problem, I am more concerned with what is in them then the presentation," she replied immediately as she flicked out her wand and tapped each scroll once, the parchment smoothing out as if it had never been damaged. She took the scrolls from Severus's outstretched hands and immediately opened the first one. "Did you enjoy the assignment?" she asked in absent mindedly as she began to skim through the opening paragraphs.

"Yes, of course. The past two weeks have been great." He replied as he looked out the window at the illuminated grounds. The professor hummed her agreement, and Severus could hear the tip of her finger tracing the lines of text across his parchments. It didn't seem to matter though, his thoughts were being tugged away by the impending confrontation with Black.

The first scroll was pushed away and the second one was unfurled as she continued to quickly read through them. He had promised her that he would try and avoid any confrontations with them. He had already agreed to meet with Black though. It would be a stain against his name forever. A coward. But, then again if he went it would be different. Liar. She would be disappointed in him.

His brow furrowed as he watched the dark ripples coming from the center of the lake. The squid was out this evening. Would there be anyone else out on the grounds this evening? Hagrid probably. No one else. No one would know, would they? Especially if he was able to defeat Black and leave no physical indicators.

"These are very good." He could hear how impressed she was. She always seemed impressed with his work.

"Thanks," he replied looking back over at her. She was smiling at him again.

"I would recommend polishing them up for publishing if the subject matter wasn't quite so dark," she said, a bit of a laugh embellishing her voice.

"Do you really think they are that great?" He asked, trying to sound interested.

"Of course, you are a great writer and these spells are complex work."

Severus looked at her. He was here with her because he had been foolish in hexing Black. She wasn't suppose to be praising him, she was suppose to be punishing him.

"Why are you doing this?" he suddenly asked, unable to stop himself. She looked suddenly taken aback, she hadn't been expecting it.

"What do you mean?"

"This," Severus said waiving his hand in-between himself and her. "All of this. Helping me with my spell work. This is suppose to be detention, not some sort of extra curricular work place." By the time he had finished, his voice had risen above an acceptable talking volume, he was almost at the verge of shouting at her. The blood had begun to drain from her face, and he somehow couldn't bring himself to care.

"I am doing it because no one else was ever going to give you the chance while you were in school. Would you prefer that we do regular detentions?" She asked, her voice flat and calm despite the fact that she had begun gripping the edges of her chair hard enough to start to turn her knuckles white.

"I don't know what I would prefer. At least if I had regular detentions I would know what to expect." Severus said roughly, as he stood from his chair and walked out towards the window. He couldn't see the whomping willow from her window, thus she wouldn't be able to see him go.

"You are too valuable to waste on writing lines," the professor replied as she swiveled her chair to face him.

"And how do you know that anyways? I have never meet you before. Why do you think that I am worth doing this for? It is only the third week of the school year!"

"Your right, it is early, but I have heard about you from some of the other professors. I knew when I saw you," she trailed off, seemingly reluctant to say any more on the matter.

"There were plenty of other students that you could have bestowed your attention upon," he snapped back.

"What are you so angry about? You had two weeks to bring this up."

"Nothing!" he barked back as he moved away from the window. "Nothing."

"Fine then, if it is nothing, take tomorrow to clear your head. Don't stop by tomorrow evening," she replied. It hit him then like a bucket of ice that her voice was cool and clear. She was angry and he was angry and he had taken it out on her. Her eyes glistened with displeasure and her thin frame was tense.

His body sagged as he felt his own frustration begin to dissipate. This was Black's fault. He moved quickly towards the door, turning his head away from his professor, hiding his face behind the curtain of his hair. He opened the door. "I am sorry," he said, his voice so quiet he wasn't even sure she would even hear him, and with that he left.

* * *

It was in front of the giant clock facing the grounds the he paced for the rest of the evening. He debated with himself during those four hours preceding Black's demanded time. To go, or not to go and be shunned as a coward forever. It was something that he didn't know if he could live down.

The only thing that held him back was his promise to Professor Hernshaw. The promise to not get involved in fights with Black or Potter. It was difficult. But then again, he was convinced that it was Black's fault that he had snapped at her this evening. It made perfectly logical sense in Severs's head then that it should be Black that should be punished for putting such a negative turn on the good relationship that he had been developing with her.

She was smart, talented, and in Severus's eyes extremely physically appealing. Black had ultimately put a damper on the entire thing. It was Black's fault. That much was certain, and Severus was willing to take his frustration out on Black, completely unabated.

It was decided. Severus was going to go down to the grounds and duel Black. For ruthlessly pranking and attacking Severus through all their years at Hogwarts, for helping Potter steal Lily away from him, and finally for ruining his chances of becoming anything more then a detention student in the eyes of Professor Hernshaw.

Mustering together his resolve he carefully began to make his way as quietly down the hallways as he could. He hoped to avoid running into anyone at all cost. His feet moved silently along the flagstone floors and he was able to keep his breathing steady despite his heart beating wildly in his ears as the adrenaline began to pump its way throughout his body.

Out onto the lawns of Hogwarts he moved, hugging the wall as closely as possible, trying to blend into the dark shadows being cast by the overhanging moon. Finally he made it to his destination. There on a lone hump of ground stood the whomping willow, it's branches swaying despite the non-existant breeze.

Slowly he approached the base of the tree, his wand at the ready as he examined the trunk of the tree. He had never taken the time to examine it before, but now that he had he could see the rather distinctive knot that twisted it's way out from the base. With a well aimed stinger, he shot the knot and the ground below the tree began to swell outwards, revealing a dark passage way leading down into the ground.

How Black had learned this secret, Severus didn't care. Keeping his wand out and at the ready, Severus awkwardly began to lower himself down into the whole until he was fully inside. The passageway was dark and damp, and as Severus held his wand alight above his head he could see that the roots of the willow had been penetrating the roof of the tunnel for quite some time.

Cautiously he made his way further into the tunnel, expecting at any time Black would jump out from some unseen corner to hex him. Nothing appeared though, and Severus continued to walk on, his palms beginning to sweat as he strained his ears to hear any sound at all.

It felt to him as though he had been walking for hours down a tunnel that had no end, no turn offs, and no exit. Straining his eyes forward he finally saw something different. There was a door. He had finally come to the end, and he was sure that Black must be on the other side. He quickened his pace to reach the end of the tunnel, until he finally came to stand before the door.

Reaching his hand out he was about to grab the handle, when suddenly he was grabbed at the shoulder and spun viciously around.

"Stop!" a voice cried.

So preoccupied he had been with the door he hadn't even heard anyone approaching from behind. He flashed his wand into the face of his adversary and was surprised not to see Black standing before him.

"Potter?" he asked, his voice raw.

"Thank Merlin I caught you." Severus stared at the boy in wonder. He had never heard Potter be so thankful to see him.

"What the hell are you on about."

"No time," Potter huffed. He had obviously been running to catch him. "We have to leave. Now."

"If you are here, you obviously know why I am and there is no way I am leaving now. I intend to duel Black, and I won't have the likes of you interrupting us," Severus replied as he yanked his shoulder back out of Potter's grasp. He turned and grabbed the door.

"No!" Potter burst out as he lunged forward and threw his wait against the door.

Severus stared at the other boy, something besides a duel had been intended for him. Slowly above the sounds of their harsh breathing, Severus was able to make out a different sound. Something, which hadn't been there when he had originally arrived was pacing back and forth on the other side of the door.

There was a sharp scratching sound coming from the other side, followed by a low whine. Severus shivered involuntarily and as he looked over at Potter he could see that the other boy had gone pale as he stared straight back at him.

"What is it?" Severus couldn't help but ask nervously, his eyes fixing themselves on the door as he took a small step backwards.

"A bloody werewolf."

"A werewolf," Severus all but whispered, his voice barely escaping his lips.

"Yes, now can we get the hell out of here? That door will hold, it is charmed against letting him out." Potter replied as he leaned up from the door way.

Severus nodded once and quickly spun on his heals and walked the other way, completely ignoring the other boy. His breath was coming in slow shallow breaths and his head was spinning.

Black had intended to kill him.

That was the one thought that kept resolving around his head. He could have died tonight. He would have walked through that door, and instead of meeting Black, he would have been faced with a werewolf. It would have torn him apart. He would be dead. Black had tried to kill him.

"Black tried to kill me tonight didn't he," he whispered, more to himself than to Potter.

"It was a piss poor plan if I ever heard of one," the other boy grumbled as he trudged up the path next to him.

And then a second thought came to Severus. Potter had saved his life. His worst enemy, had saved his life. The blood suddenly came pounding back into his ears.

"I owe you a life debt," Severus said, stopping in his tracks. It was almost as bad as having died. He owed his life to his biggest rival.

Potter stopped and turned to him. "I am not recognizing it, Snape. Don't get your greasy head into a twist because of it." Potter turned to start moving again but, Severus didn't make any moves to follow. "Come on, Snape. I want to sleep at least a little tonight."

"Right," Severus replied quietly as he began to walk down the path again, his eyes focused on the back of Potter's head. It didn't matter if Potter didn't recognize it. He knew this much. The magic would hold him to it, even if Potter didn't. And while it was partially relieving to know that Potter wasn't going to be making any request of him, it didn't mean that a day wouldn't come where it was pulled into play.

Sooner than expected, Severus could see the end of the tunnel, and the moonlight streaming in from above. James expertly pulled himself up out of the hole, and if Severus had had enough wits about him at the time he would have noticed it seemed like a much practiced exercise. Regardless, he was finally able to pull himself up out of the hole, despite his shaking limbs. As soon as he got out he looked up into the sky.

Sure enough, there was the moon, hanging high and full in the sky. He had overlooked it. It hadn't even occurred to him to worry about it. Staring up at the moon, he suddenly felt all of the events of the day weighing down upon him. His fight with Professor Hernshaw, the confrontation with Black, sneaking out down the passage, being saved by none other than Potter, it was enough stress to cause him to start going weak at the knees, and if Potter hadn't been standing next to him in order to catch him as he began to quaver he was sure he would have fallen to the ground right there bellow the willow.

"Come on, Snape," he heard Potter mutter as he felt one of his arms being pulled around the other boy's shoulder. He couldn't bring himself to care. He had almost died, and he owed a life dept. "I sent Peter to find a professor," Potter huffed as they made their way across the grounds.

This was the last straw then. How would he be able to stay at Hogwarts after this offense when he was already on probation for attacking Black. He might as well start packing his bags up when they got back into the castle. He lifted his head and looked towards the front doors of the castle.

There was a woman striding towards them, her hair flowing out behind her, wearing nothing but a robe over her nightgown. Severus felt his heart quiver in his chest. Was it Professor Hernshaw? No? He strained his eyes to see that far ahead of them. As they drew closer together he could see that it wasn't. The hair was too silvered, the face already too lined. Professor McGonagall strode towards them with a purpose, her usually done-up hair, falling down around her shoulders.

"Is he hurt?" She asked as soon as she was within speaking distance, while motioning to Severus.

"No, he is just shocked I think," James replied as he readjusted the arm that lay around his neck.

"Mr. Snape, are you alright," she asked as she took a step closer to them.

"I...," he trailed off, staring off over her shoulder. "I am fine," he replied.

"Very well. We are going to be going to see Headmaster Dumbledore about this. Are you sure you are fine? Can you walk?" She asked again, seeming doubtful of his ability to do so.

"Yes. Of course," Severus replied, as he attempted to straighten himself, only to fall back against James again.

The head of house shook her head as she pulled out her wand. "Mobilicorpus," she said with a quick swish of her wand. Severus felt his stomach leap in his chest as he was raised from the ground. Potter stepped away and Severus felt his cheeks begin to burn in humiliation. Was this really what he would be reduced to, floating along after them, completely inept.

"Come along, Mr. Potter," the professor said as she marched off across the grounds, Severus floating along like a puppet on a string. And as if his humiliation was not complete he heard another voice floating off across the grounds as they approached the grounds.

"Did he get finished off?" The voice was slurred, obviously more than a bit drunk, and very hopeful.

"No, Mr. Black," McGonagall started out, her tone icy, "thankfully for you he isn't more than a bit shocked. We are all going to the headmaster's office. Now." Her voice left no room for argument as she walked past the other boy, Severus trailing after her. Severus turned his head as they went past, unable to look at Black.

"Prongs, do we have to go?" Black all but whined as he trailed behind them like a lost pup.

"Yes, you idiot, we have to go," Potter whispered back ferociously. "You will be lucky if you aren't expelled!"

If McGonagall was listening, she did a good impression of not caring, and Severus couldn't help but cringe as he listened to his rivals following him along. On and on they went, up staircases and down hallways, Black sometimes making a comment on Severus, going to see the headmaster, or just wanting to sleep; James telling him to be quite and just to come along; McGonagall whole-heartedly ignoring everything that was said; and Severus just floating along after her while praying that they wouldn't run into anyone else.


	5. Chapter 5: The Propagator of Freedom

**The Affair of Severus Snape**

**Chapter 5: The Propagator of Freedom

* * *

**

Potter and Black sat in the two arm chairs that were positioned in front of the headmaster's desk, while Severus was forced to sit on a quill that had quite artfully been transfigured into the most uncomfortable wooden chair he had ever come across. His discomfort was masked, however, by his incredible nervousness as they waited for Professor Dumbledore to appear in his office.

Everyone, even Black, waited silently knowing that ultimately nothing they said would matter until the headmaster was available to proctor the discussion and get to the truth of the matter. Fortunately for them, they did not have long to wait. Dressed in a light blue sleeping robe, covered by an additional yellow over-robe, the headmaster slowly made his way from the door of his personal quarters to the seat behind his desk.

"Well, this certainly is a surprise I was not expecting," he said, his voice soft, as he looked around at the students sitting before him, until his eyes finally came to rest solely upon Severus. "Would one of you care to explain what has brought you here at this late hour?"

Severus felt his throat constrict as he gazed into the professor's eyes, his mind returning to the events that had taken place earlier in the evening. He was on such thin ice as it was, and to have this offense laid against him might shatter any goodwill the professor had left towards him. He opened his mouth to explain what had happened, but was surprised when he heard Potter beating him to it.

"It wasn't Snape's fault, sir."

Dumbledore seemed to be as surprised as Severus was and he quickly broke his gaze, while Severus let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. "No? Am I to take it that you know someone else that is to blame then? And what exactly is it that isn't his fault?"

"It wasn't his fault that he was under the whomping willow." Potter continued boldly.

Dumbledore nodded at this, as though it didn't surprise him at all. "And who was it that provoked him out on the most unfortunate of nights?" he pressed again.

Severus noticed now that Black was looking at Potter with an urgent pleading, but Potter took no notice. "We took a prank too far, sir."

"Indeed you did," Dumbledore replied as he turned his gaze back towards Severus, "and as I understand it from Professor McGonagall, if Mr. Potter had not reached you in time, you might no longer be with us."

Severus found himself nodding slowly, "That is true."

Dumbledore turned his gaze back to Black, who had thus far remained silent, despite his consistent yammering on the trip up. "Do you understand the severity of the situation, Mr. Black."

Apparently he did, for whatever haze he had been suffering from before reaching the headmaster's office was gone. "Yes, sir," he replied meekly.

"I realize that Mr. Snape did some severe damage to you earlier in the year, and that you may have felt just in your repayment. However, he has been serving his punishment without complaint with Professor Hernshaw, and has thus far proven good to his word on avoiding any more conflict with any of the students, yourself included.

You have however, given him even a greater punishment then I could myself. Do you know what it is that he now owes Mr Potter?"

Black looked confused, and Severus could feel his heart rate begin to increase as he realized that the headmaster knew of his new debt, despite the fact they had not told Professor McGonagall. "Mr. Snape now owes a life debt to Mr. Potter," the headmaster said firmly and waited as he let the words absorb through Black's thick skull. It only took a few moments, before Black was opening and closing his mouth, his brain having troubles coming up with anything. Or at least that was what Severus was telling himself in order to try and remain calm.

" I," Black began, "I didn't mean for that to happen."

"No, Mr. Black, you intended to let Mr. Snape go into a house unaware of the presence of a werewolf. Is that not correct, Mr. Snape?"

"Yes," he said, his voice slightly hoarse.

"Well then, Mr. Black, the actions you have taken tonight, are no more cruel and malicious then the actions that Mr. Snape took towards you a month ago," he paused and took a breath as he looked between the two of them. "I see two ways forward. I can of course give you the same detention schedule as Mr. Snape," Dumbledore said, as he watched Black become even paler at the mention of a year long detention, "or I can create a situation in which the antagonism you feel between each other might lessen.

If I were to drop both your's, Mr. Black, as well as Mr. Snape's detention sentences, do you believe that both of you could come to the end of the school year with no more incidents to be reported to me at one in the morning?"

Black's answer was immediate. "Yes, of course, sir!"

Severus however, was not quite as quick to jump at the opportunity. He looked towards the professor, his brows furrowed. Was Black really going to get away with no punishment, while he would have to bear the burden of a life debt? That just didn't seem right!

"Surely you don't want to be in detention for the rest of the year do you, Mr. Snape?" Dumbledore asked.

Severus was unsure, his throat seeming to constrict yet again that evening. Detentions weren't even that bad. Although he would have to work on patching things up with Professor Hernshaw again. His stomach giving a little flip at the thought of her. He looked up into the Professor's eyes, and was immediately held in his stare.

It was then that a soft voice in the back of his mind made itself know. _Maybe, a lack of detentions wouldn't be so bad though. He could get to know the professor outside of the set meeting schedule of detention. Yes he would like that. _

"I don't want to be in detention," Severus found himself saying, before he could even stop himself. The professor smiled and looked away.

"It is settled then, no more conflicts between the two of you. If you are back in this office again for any confrontation I will not hesitate to have you expelled from the school."

**Wait!** Severus's mind screamed against the confusion. He hadn't meant to say that right away! Black was getting away, scotch free! He opened his mouth to protest, but was cut off by the professor.

"Now, boys, be good and get back to your dorms and get some sleep. Take the weekend to recover for the events of this evening, and focus your energies towards your school work rather than pranks towards each other." And with those parting words, the headmaster stood up swiftly and left them with Professor McGonagall who had been standing silently by the door out of the office.

"You heard the headmaster. Mr. Black, Mr. Potter, I will be escorting you both back to the tower. Mr. Snape, I except you to be disciplined enough to find your way back to your own dorm.

Severus sat there slightly stunned. What had just happened?

"Mr. Snape. Now!"

He stumbled up onto his feet and followed the others out the door, his feet carrying him back home despite the turmoil his mind was in. He had most definitely not been keen on accepting those conditions. Why then had he agreed so vocally to the headmaster's prompting?

He turned down into the dungeons, his feet stumbling down the stairs until he found himself outside of the common room.

Would the headmaster have influenced his decision in order to let Black off the hook? Severus frowned. It had certainly seemed like it.

* * *

It was at breakfast the next morning that Rabastan sat down purposefully in front of Severus. He was impatient, and Severus could tell. Still trying to wipe the sleep from his eyes, Severus gave a curt nod to the other boy and returned to his toast, ignoring what the other boy had probably come to learn from him. It was when he was pouring himself his second glass of orange juice (he wouldn't touch the pumpkin juice) that Rabastan finally lost his patience.

"Well?" The other boy huffed at him.

"Well, what?" Severus snapped.

"Have you completed the task that I set you? Is she, or is she not, a mudblood?" Rabastan hissed back across the table.

"I have yet to get to the point where she trust me enough to reveal such incriminating information," Severus replied calmly, while refusing to look up at the head table to the subject of their conversation.

"You have been going to detentions every single night for the last few weeks, and you still have not been able to weasel out that sort of information?" Rabastan spat in disgust, "What sort of slytherine are you? You realize that Lucius is getting impatient for this information don't you?"

Severus lifted his eyes from his breakfast and glared back at the pure blood. "Of course I do. You will just have to wait a little longer. I am getting close," he said, lying through his teeth. He would be lucky if the Professor talked to him about anything personal right now.

"Fine. I want to know by the end of the week," Rabastan replied as he pushed himself away from the table, "and remember Snape. _He_ isn't one to be kept waiting."

The other boy walked purposefully out of the hall, leaving Severus sitting at the table, his hands shaking from the sheer exhaustion and stress of the past day. He wasn't sure how exactly he was suppose to figure out if Professor Hernshaw was a mudblood or not, but he didn't want to know what Rabastan was capable of doing if he didn't find out and he most definitely did not need _him_ to have any reason to dislike him either.

He took a quick glance up the head table in order to see if she was still there, and he found that she was deep in conversation with the headmaster. He was sure they were talking about him, and as if they realized that he was watching them, they as one glanced out over the hall and let their combined gazes fall upon him. Dumbledore's gaze, Severus realized, was neutral, giving away nothing of what the old man thought about the situation he had gotten himself into last night. Professor Hernshaw's gaze however, was not what he expected.

Her dark eyes seemed fraught with worry, even from where he sat he could make out a small wrinkle between her brow as she frowned at what the Headmaster was telling her. Was she really that distressed about what she had heard from the Headmaster? He would have to talk to her later, he suspected, and there was no point in dwelling on it too much at breakfast, especially as he needed to be to charms class in ten minutes. Collecting his belongings he got up from the table and walked out of the hall, unable to shake the feeling that she had watched him go.

* * *

The rest of the day seemed to be a blur to him. In charms class, they were suppose to have charmed a sponge to wash dirty dishes. He had only achieved an angry foaming mess that had refused to even touch the plates that the young professor Flitwick had provided.

Even the afternoon potions lesson did nothing to better his mood. The dark grey potion that he had dropped onto Professor Slughorn's desk at the end of the class was a long shot from the deep purple that it was suppose to be. So frustrated was he that he spent the rest of the afternoon stalking up and down the halls of Hogwarts, his mind trying to wrap around the task that Rabastan had set from him as well as the events of last night, mostly focusing on the headmaster's actions that had led to his evenings now being free.

It was during his pacing up and down the halls that he finally came to a conclusion as to what he had to do. It was obvious that in order to successfully complete Rabistan's task he would have to go and apologize to professor Hernshaw. The way she had looked at him that morning at breakfast seemed to be a good indication that she would at least be willing to speak to him. It would then be a simple matter of working the answer he wanted out of her without making it so terribly apparent as to the information he was after.

He was also going to have to put a bit of time into researching mind magic. While he had a fairly good idea that was what had happened, he would not go around accusing the Headmaster of tampering with other peoples thoughts until he was fairly certain that was indeed what had happened. Because of all of this, it was during the evening period that he had been sharing with Professor Hernshaw that he was now in the libraries restricted section (thanks of a note from the slightly gullible Professor Binns) researching mind magic. He had so far come across only three books that had anything to do with the subject and he was becoming doubtful that he would find anything else within the dusty shelves.

He discretely found a table, away from the commotion of the younger students and opened up his first book, _Mind and Magic: An overview of protecting and pillaging minds. _Severus had to scoff at the title, as he opened up to the table of contents and flipped open to the section of influencing others. As he read, he soon found that those with a powerful and well trained mind could indeed influence others merely through eye contact. The prospect truthfully frightened him as he thought back to his evening in the headmaster's office. He was certain of it now, looking back on the events of the evening that, that was exactly what had happened. He did not know a more powerful wizard, and he didn't doubt that the professor at least knew some mind magic. And the thought that he was probably not the only one who had been on the receiving end of the wizards gaze, made Severus feel uncomfortable. Did everyone have to bend to the will of Albus Dumbledore?

He spent the rest of the evening cooped up in the corner of the library reading through the books on protecting one's mind, an art that they termed occlumency, and it's counterpart, the invading of minds, legilimens. The more he read the more fascinated he became. Not only did becoming a skilled occlumence result in having a protected mind but had added benefits of being able to gain complete control over one's emotions as well as more control over one's own magic. It was then and there, as he read through the books, that he decided he would begin attempting to clear his mind, as the books suggested in order to be better prepared to fend off any unwanted probing.

Packing up his bags, he made his way to the front desk where Madame Pince sat behind her desk checking in books. "Just these three then? Mind arts, hmm?" she said as she stamped the inside cover of each of the books. "What would you be needing these for?"

"Just doing a research paper for Professor Binns," Severus lied smoothly as he collected his books back. "Good Night, Madame Pince."

He meandered slowly down into the dungeons. Tomorrow he would speak to Professor Hernshaw after her class, and would ask that they continue to meet at least one or two evening a week in order to work on his spell crafting. Then he would have a time and place in which he could ask the more sensitive questions about her background. Sighing to himself he finally made it to the common room and gratefully he found his bed.

* * *

A/N: I have three more chapters written after this. They just need to be proofed before I post them up :) Hope you enjoyed. Please let me know what you think.


	6. Chapter 6: A Plan of Reacquaintance

The Affair of Severus Snape

Chapter 6: A Plan of Reacquaintance

* * *

Severus awoke in the morning cold, his blankets tossed onto the floor from his evening of restless sleep. He had dreamed about the previous night, except Potter had never reached him and he had opened the door to find a hideous beast staring back at him. He would run and the beast would follow, and it was never ending. The werewolf had constantly been nipping at his heels, keeping him moving and never giving him a moment to rest. Needless to say, today was going to be another rough day with a lack in sleep.

Stretching out his back and getting out of bed he made his way to the bathroom and stared into the mirror. _You would never be able to tell just by looking_, Severus thought to himself as he thought about his miraculous brush with death. No one would concern themselves with how he was doing or make sure that he was getting enough sleep after that night. Not even Dumbledore would stop him in the halls to ask, not that Severus really expected that, now that he knew what the headmaster was capable of.

So, it was just himself that he had to rely on to put himself back on track for the rest of the semester. Last night his occlumency project was less then successful as he had meant to clear his mind as he went to sleep, but found that as soon as his head had touched the pillow he had promptly fallen asleep giving no thought to clearing his mind at all. Maybe that was why he had dreamed so fitfully. Regardless of how he had slept though, he was going to have to face Professor Hernshaw today and ask for her forgiveness. He was also going to have to face the gryfindors and he was not sure what to expect from them. He knew there would be a temporary lull in any baiting. Black was still too shook up by the threat of a full year of detention, and Potter seemed too contrite about his friend to do anything. Peter never did anything without prompting from the first two. It was only Lupin that he was unsure about.

He had not seen the other boy at all yesterday, he assumed he was probably resting from the transformation. He had to wonder wether the other two boys would have the guts to tell Lupin what had almost happened, or if Lupin would have figured it out for himself. Maybe the headmaster would tell him. Severus could only hope for the best that Lupin wouldn't start to act weirdly because of it. He could imagine the other boy trying to apologize or some such nonsense as that, and all Severus really wanted to do was stay as far away from him as he possibly could.

Finishing his morning routine, Severus swung his school robes over his shoulders and proceeded to the great hall for breakfast.

* * *

Severus managed to time it in such a manner that he entered the defense classroom just before class was about to begin, thus giving no one the misguided opportunity to try and speak with him. He saw that Lupin was indeed back from wherever he had been the day before, but rather than sitting with any of the other male gryfindors he had seated himself with Lily as far away from the other boys as they could possibly get without leaving the room. Severus had to smirk to himself just a bit then. Apparently both Remus and Lily knew what had happened, and had both taken it extremely badly. He couldn't help but feel a bit gleeful that Lily was away from Potter and his influence.

He sat himself down towards the back of the class, and looked up towards where Professor Hernshaw was sitting behind her desk. She admittedly wasn't looking her finest. There were deep dark circles under her eyes and it looked as though she had slept just as fitfully as he had last night. She got up out of her chair with some effort and walked in front of her desk. "Today we will be dealing with the disarming of magical traps, and while I know that not all of you are in ancient runes, we will be spending some time getting to know some of the more common runes used in anchoring traps and how to disarm and dissipate the magic associated with them. Around the room I have placed traps up against the walls. If you could all split into groups of two or three you can use the class period to first find the trap and then use the information in your text on page one-hundred and thirty-three in order to help you disarm it. You have the entire class period to do this, and as always I will be coming around the room in order to answer any questions. Begin."

Slowly the students began to partner themselves off, and Severus was unfortunate enough to have Rabastan force himself upon him. Severus pulled his text book out and watched as the other boy pulled out a badly beaten copy of the text that the professor had given them at the beginning of the year. Rabastan had forcefully removed the plastic cover but had sloppily left the rest of the text as it was with pages beginning to fall out as the binding had been damaged. Without saying anything to his unwanted partner, Severus began to systematically shoot revealing charms at the wall until he finally saw a glint of response near the base of the wall, just right of where they stood.

"There it is," Severus said unnecessarily to Rabastan as he took his book and knelt down in front of the tiny set of runes that was no bigger than the base of the goblets in the great hall. Rabastan sat in a chair next to him and didn't even bother opening his book. "How is your work going?" he whispered quietly as Severus flipped open to the correct page.

"Do we have to discuss that now? Everything is under control. You said I had until the end of the week," Severus replied in a clipped tone as he started to compare the rune on the wall to the rune in the book.

"I just want to make sure that you will be diligent in this task and not let it continue to linger," Rabastan replied as he looked up to see where the professor was. "This place has turned into a joke. Mudbloods teaching. The nerve of it all," he complained quietly to Severus.

"You don't even know for sure if that is the case."

"I don't know if that isn't the case either. That is up to you," Rabastan sneered as he looked at where Severus knelt on the floor. Severus just grunted in reply as he turned back to his book and the rune on the wall. He wasn't disturbed again until Professor Hernshaw was standing next to him.

"That was an impressive find Mr. Snape, one of the hardest I have set up also. Hopefully it provides enough challenge for you," she said as Severus looked up at her to see a sad sort of smile cross across her lips, before she turned to frown slightly at Rabastan who was still sitting in the chair behind Severus. "And, Mr. Lestrange, how do you plan on learning more about disarming traps without opening your text or examining the rune with Mr. Snape, I would suggest you spend your class period a bit more productively."

She made to move away, but then stopped suddenly and turned back. "Mr. Snape could you stay after class to discuss something with me?" He looked up to meet her eyes and saw that they were much as they had been yesterday morning. Concerned.

"Yes," he replied simply, and then she walked away.

It wasn't until the professor was back out of earshot that Rabastan said anything again. "What was that about?" he asked, not quite being able to keep the curiosity out of his voice.

"I told you, I have it in control," Severus replied neutrally as he pulled his wand out again and began tapping the rune. Suddenly a bright flash emitted from the small run on the wall signaling the completion of the task. "Don't ask me about this again," Severus said as he stood up and walked back to his desk, ignoring Rabastan's glares.

Severus waited until even the slowest of the students had finished the rune breaking and exited the classroom leaving just him and the professor. He made his way up to the seat in front of her desk and dropped his bag on the floor. "What is it that you wanted to talk to me about?" He asked as he looked over at her, now back behind the desk.

She sighed and leaned back in her desk, "I just wanted to say that I heard about what happened that evening from Headmaster Dumbledore, and I wanted to know how you were faring."

Severus stared at her for a moment before he slowly nodded, more to himself then to her, "I am still alive," he said simply. What else was there to say? That he had been so stresses that he had failed both of his lessons yesterday, that he couldn't sleep last night, that he suspected some sort of foul play in regards to Black and the detentions?

Her lips pulled up to the half-smile that didn't seem to quite reach her eyes as she looked at him, "I meant how are you feeling. You missed dinner last night."

"I was busy in the library," he replied easily.

"Are you sure you are doing alright," she asked, the concern seeping into her voice as she leaned forward on her desk, "I know that you don't talk to many of the other professors, or students, so if you ever need someone to talk to…" She trailed off as she looked away, and Severus could see that her cheeks were turning a lovely shad of pink. Obviously she had not meant to be quite so forward.

"Thank you for your concern, but I will be fine," he said bluntly. He paused, now was the time to put his own interest forward, "Really it should be me apologizing, I should not have yelled at you the other night after you have been so generous in letting me work with you on my spellcrafting." He paused and looked at her. For some reason she seemed stuck somewhere in between shocked and amused and he didn't understand why. Frowning a bit he sat back in his chair, but continued onwards, pressing over the slight awkwardness of the way she was now looking at him. "I would really appreciate it if I could continue to come in and work with you some evenings, that is if you have not already made plans for that free time."

She was now full out smiling, and Severus was even more confused. "Of course I will have you back!" she exclaimed, before hurrying on. "I understand why you were a bit tense the other night, that all makes sense now. Besides, you are quite talented when it comes to spellcrafting and the opportunity to bounce ideas off of someone will do you good. When did you have in mind?"

Severus stared at her for a moment. Was she always that welcoming, he wondered to himself. Or was it just to him? He couldn't remember her ever being as praiseful to any of the other students ever. But, this was what he needed to do, to secure his place with Rabastan and it came with the added benefit of being able to spend time with his beautiful and deliciously intelligent professor. It was a win-win situation. "Would meeting on Wednesday and Fridays evenings work for you?" he asked.

"Of course, will we be starting tomorrow then?" she asked, her mood considerably more cheery then when they had first sat down.

"Yes, that sounds fine to me. I have a few new ideas I have been playing around with and would like to discuss with you," he replied. It was like adding fuel to the fire, and he felt guilty as he watched her nod her head happily at the mention of new work. Would she be this open when he asked her about her family tomorrow evening?

"Very good, I will see you then, but before you go, I have looked over both of your papers and marked them up with my suggestions. I will admit some of my comments are a bit harsher then they would usually be, but considering the state of mind I was in when I marked them up…" she trailed off again looking a bit sheepish as she pulled out the two rolls of parchment that he had given her the other night. They had been rerolled and the ribbon retied, making it impossible to read what she had written on them.

"Thank you," Severus replied as he took them and made to unroll the first one. Her hand shot out over his those and she gave a small nervous laugh.

"Why don't you read them later tonight and I will see you tomorrow?"

Severus's brow pulled together a bit, but he nodded regardless. "Very well, until tomorrow then, Professor." He pulled his hand out from underneath hers, put the scrolls into his bag and hefted it over his shoulder. "Have a good evening."

"You too," she replied as she opened the door for him, "see you tomorrow."

* * *

Severus retreated that evening again into a darkened corner of the library, his books on mind arts tucked carefully into his bag. Sitting down into an armchair and carefully removing the books and setting them in his lap he looked down them. "I am going to figure this out," he said to himself in a self-encouraging mantra. Opening the one book that had a detailed instruction on how to begin to learn occlumency he re-read through the instructions before slowly closed his eyes and concentrated on his breathing. Counting in his head, he tried to push all thoughts of the past few days from his mind, but images continued to come unbidden into his mind. The first day he had meet Professor Hernshaw, fights he had gotten into with the Gryfindors, those quite moments him and Lily had shared in the past.

The more he tried to shut down his memories the more that flooded forward as if sparked to action by the mere thought of trying _not_ to remember them. Frustrated he opened his eyes and looked around. This wasn't working. He wasn't clam enough. Sighing to himself he flipped through the other two books, only to find that they did not have many more helpful suggestions for him at all. He pushed the books away from himself and pulled out the scrolls that Professor Hernshaw had returned to him. He pulled the ribbon of the first one and rolled it out on the table in front of him.

He could hardly believe what lay before him, the professor must have used a whole bottle of red ink! The paper was littered with comment and critics, some parts of it had been scratched out while others had been circled to make them stand out. He had worked so hard on it and she had completely torn it to shreds! His brow furrowed he unrolled the second one and found it had been given the same treatment. At the bottom of this one, however, there was a note addressed to him.

_Mr Snape,_

_ I have been through your two papers thoroughly and have made my comments on the specifics within the paper very clear. As I said before, your research on these two spells, the curse and the counter-curse, have been very thorough and I am very pleased with the results that you have shown. _

At this Severus had to scoff, she had said they were very good, but then what was with the inordinate amount of marks on his paper!

_The comments I have made are for you should you ever decide to publish this work, although I am hoping that you decided against it and reduce the amount of defense I have to teach in the future._

_ Best of luck should you decide to do revision, I apologize again for the severity of the marks on your paper, I was a bit distressed when I made most of them. _

_Georgia Hernshaw._

Severus rolled the parchment back up. So the marks had obviously come first, and the note last. He had to wonder wether or not she really did do all of that marking just for his sake of getting published, or if it had sated her displeasure from the other evening. Either way, the comments she had left had been for the most part helpful, even if some of them were a tad bit scathing and blunt. Regardless, Georgia Hernshaw had given him a large amount of her attention and time, and for that Severus was thankful.

* * *

A/N: There you have it, a very very forgiving hernshaw/hermione. I am hoping that we have some serious plot-romance development starting over the next few chapters. I really hope you guys like it. I got a ton of readers on the last chapter but not too many reviews. :/

I really like reviews, so if you read it please let me know what you think, one way or another!


	7. Chapter 7: Quick and Easy Forgiveness &

The Affair of Severus Snape

Chapter 7: Quick and Easy Forgiveness & An Eavesdropping

* * *

The next evening, Severus was standing outside of the Professor's door, notebook in hand and ready to hear her input on a few ideas he had. He knocked briskly and then opened the door to find that there was a door inside the room that he had never seen before. It was opened up to what he assumed must be the professor's private quarters and he could hear her voice floating out of the connected room. "Coming, coming," she said, and he could hear the quick footsteps before the Professor finally made her way into the office.

"Ah, Mr. Snape, punctual as always. Sorry about that, I had some cooking in the oven and I am afraid I managed to make a mess of it," she said as she gave a slightly laugh. "I never have been good at cooking, and the house elves have a fit whenever I try and make something in my rooms."

As he examined her he could see that there where light powered marks on the thighs of her pants, and there was a bit more across the top of her forehead where she must have pushed her hair aside. Clearly she had been trying to bake.

Severus couldn't help it, he found his lips twisting upward slightly. She was cute when she was flustered like that. Not that he would ever tell her that. He just nodded to her and waited for her. She sat down at the corner of her desk while he pulled out the chair he normally sat in. "So what do you have for me today?" she asked, her eyes shining.

"I have been thinking about a protection spell, despite what happened in class today, I am not fluent enough in runes to be able to get the same results from a run as I would get with a spell," he explained as he paged through his notes, to the specific spell he had in mind.

"What are you looking to protect against?" the professor prompted as she moved over to stand behind Severus in order to get a better look at his notes.

"It would be for physical protection. I would like the spell to be sustaining and spelled specifically against physical harm," he replied as he finally got to the correct page.

"A sustained protection charm?" Hernshaw asked, before letting out a soft hum as she flipped through some of his notes. "That would be a highly energetic spell."

"Yes. I have been working on this for a long time but haven't been very successful with it. It is of course also a hard spell to test even when I do think that I am getting it right. It is hard to test it knowing that if I don't have it correct whoever would be testing it would ultimately get hurt," Severus said, working to keeping his voice low and calm, as he stood up and began to walk over to the window, despite the fact that this spell had brought him the most frustration. "Sometimes it seems like it works, but it doesn't sustain, even if I do anchor it to a piece of jewelry of clothing."

"Charms are a hard thing to lock into an object, Severus. Even some of the best spell master admit that magic alone isn't quite enough. Sustained spells for such a long period of time usually require something...a little more," she trailed off as she closed the book.

Severus had sat down in front of the desk while she was talking, and was slightly startled when she had used his first name. "I know that, but I am not versed in ritual or blood magic, despite what some of my classmates might imagine."

"There are a few shorter lasting protection charms that I am aware of, but most of them shield against other magics, not physical damage. What were you planning on doing with this?" she asked, her curiosity evident in her eyes as she looked back over at Severus.

He looked at her then, trying to judge just how much he could trust her. He hadn't told any of his classmates about it, and he doubted any of the other professors knew about the situation. He most definitely didn't trust Dumbledore to do anything right now about it, so really he had been on his own on this the whole time. But maybe she could help. She would most definitely be more motivated to help if she knew who it was for. He took a deep breath and stared her in the eyes, "It is for my mother."

She didn't say anything for what seemed like a long time, and then she sat down in the chair behind her desk, looking a entirely deflated from when she had come out from her baking. "Does your father…?" She trailed off yet again, obviously unsure of how to put things.

"Yes," he said simply. There was no need to elaborate any more than that. The professor obviously understood what he was implying. "I am afraid one day he will go to far and end up killing her, and that is why I need this to work." He then turned to look at her before continuing, "Being a muggle, he usually isn't all too...gentle. He knows she can just wave her wand and make it go away in the end." He took a deep breath then, trying not to let his nerve get the best of him as he continued on. "It doesn't help that my blood status, and my mother's choice of husband makes it difficult to garner any support from the other Slytherines in order to protect her."

"I can understand the problems that blood status can cause," she replied with a nod of her head.

"I know it isn't really my place to ask, but your parents, were they...," he trailed off, hoping that she would reveal that hidden piece of information to him.

He could feel his stomach sink deeper and deeper as she regarded him for a moment, as if trying to determine what he hoped to gain from it, but as soon as the expression had entered her face it left almost immediately. She truly was too trusting and Severus had known how to get the information that he had wanted. You give a little bit of yourself, and you get back just the same. And she was giving herself away to him, even though she did not know the consequences.

"Muggles, both dentist," she supplied freely.

Severus wrinkled his nose immediately. He hated dentist, but it explained her tidiness. It seemed to ease the tension that had been growing in the room though, because she laughed at the face he had made. "They aren't that bad."

"I suppose we will all have our own opinions on the merits of dentist," Severus replied glad that the mood had lightened some. He watched as she reached behind her neck and pulled her hair up into a ponytail at the back of her skull. She truly had no idea what sort of trouble she had just put herself into for his own sake.

"Well, lets go over your notes a bit more carefully and we can see what we can do to improve this. Maybe those other spells I know will help strengthen yours," she said.

He nodded his head, and they began going through the spell incarnations, wand movements and motivations that he had combined in his notebook. Despite her sincere interest in his project, he couldn't help but be distracted by what he had learned about her just moments ago. He knew when he had gone prodding for information for Rabastan that it would either be bad, or worse news that he would have to deliver. They all knew she wasn't pureblood so it left one of the two evils that she could have been.

And when he did tell Rabastan, there would undoubtably be some action taken by the Slytherines, whether it was open retaliation in class, or the more subtle attack on her person in order to force her to leave Hogwarts. He wasn't sure which it would be, but he knew he would ultimately would end up playing a part.

His stomach did odd flip-flops in his stomach as he looked over at her. Despite being in her company for weeks now, he still found her to be quite an attractive woman and he would regret having a hand in her undoubtable removal or flight from Hogwarts (he did not doubt the Syltherine's ability to remove a professor). She had helped him in a number of ways over the past few weeks, and he was continuing to take advantage of her time and abilities. He let out a soft sigh, unable to hold it in.

She noticed his distraction immediately, and she turned from his notes to look at him. "Are you sure you are doing alright, you look like you haven't been sleeping well since your incident with the Gryfindors," she said in concern as she pushed the notes away from them.

"I haven't been, but I have been working on that front. It is just taking a bit more practice then I thought it would," he replied, that last bit slipping in before he had a chance to realize that he was giving her a reason to ask about the mind magic. Maybe he was more tired then he thought he was.

"You aren't taking too many dreamless sleep potions are you? You know those are addictive."

Severus had to give a short laugh at that. He, more than anyone, knew better than that. "No, no potions."

"Well then what are you using?" She asked, her curiosity spiked too much for her to just drop the subject.

"I recently got a book on occlumency and it is suppose to help in relaxing the mind before sleep,thus reducing the amount of dreams and allowing for a better nights sleep," Severus replied truthfully, not seeing any reason to keep the information from her. Besides, it was hardly an incriminating subject.

Despite that however, she seemed to be looking at him strangely again, much as she had been when he had apologized to her yesterday. It was as if she didn't quite understand what was happening. Maybe it was the way he was acting? He couldn't seem to figure it out either. He wasn't saying anything too outlandish, or at least he didn't think he was.

"Do you know anything about it?" he asked casually, hoping to snap her out of her slightly unnerving stare. She shook her head to clear it and then nodded a quick affirmative.

"Yes, I have studied it before," she replied as she closed his notebook, sensing that they were not going to be discussing the spell-crafting anymore this evening.

"Really?" Severus replied, genuinely surprised that she had. The books made it seem like absolutely no one except a select few even knew about it let alone practiced it. But then again Georgia Hernshaw didn't exactly fall into the realm of the generalized wizarding public. "Do you have any suggestions on clearing ones mind, I have been trying for the past few days and have gotten absolutely nowhere with it."

He must have been too excited about it because she broke out in a genuine chuckle then as he stared back at her. Now what he had said? He must have been frowning at this point because she raised her hand apologetically. "Sorry, I am just glad to see you are so enthusiastic about it," she said, grinning slightly madly. It did however, show off her straight dentist's-child teeth.

Severus was still frowning though. Was being enthusiastic really that amusing? He would have to try and act even more stoic then he already was if her were to keep face. "No advice then?" he asked.

"Not really, you have to practice and really it is up to you to figure out how to best keep a clear mind. Everyone does it differently which is probably why your book doesn't have very good advice on it. Keep me updated on your progress though. When you fell a bit more confidant with the clearing of your mind I might be of a bit more help for you on this front."

Severus nodded, "I will then, hopefully it will not take me too long in order to get a decent grip on the basics of it."

"I am fairly confidant that you will," she replied, still smiling. "But, for now why don't you go and get some sleep tonight, so that you are no so exhausted for all of your classes tomorrow"

Severus nodded his acquisition. "Very well, good night Professor Hernshaw."

* * *

That evening as he lay in bed he began to practice clearing his mind. Slowing his breathing, and counting as the book suggested, he felt himself slipping closer and closer towards sleep. Was that what was suppose to happen? He was just suppose to get sleepy as though he were counting sheep? This counting strategy was not going to work for him. He realized that now, after having talked with Professor Hernshaw. She had been wonderful this evening he realized, as he thought back on it. She had not questioned him too heavily when he had brought up the sensitive subject of his mother's situation, or even about what had happened with the marauders. She had easily shared some information about herself, had readily sat down and worked with him on his spell crafting. And in the end she had even been a willing discussion partner on the subject on mind magic.

He realized then as he laid there in bed that the professor was slowly becoming more comfortable with her then he had even had in Lily. It surprisingly didn't shock him too much. He had begun to realize over the past week or so that even though Professor Hernshaw and himself were in the different positions of teacher and student, they were still very close in age (or at least he thought they were, seeing as he didn't know her exact age) and they shared a large number of common interest. Far more than him and Lily really did.

He wondered, despite graduation being so far away, if him and the professor could remain friends after he graduate. It would of course rely on a number of things. _He _couldn't let the Slytherines play to large of a role in her life over the next few months, if he hoped to remain within a close proximity of her. Maybe he could get Rabastan to change his mind about the value of the Professor despite her backgrounds. She really was the best defense professor they had, had over the past seven years, and Rabastan was blind if he couldn't see that.

Or maybe he was because he had become too attached to her.

Severus shook his head and sighed. This wasn't clearing his head. Slowing his breathing again he began to hum softly to himself, a tuneless memory not associated with anything.

* * *

It was over the next few days that Severus found himself getting more distracted then he would usually allow. He found that during meals he couldn't help but quickly glance up at the head staff table and see how she was doing on any particular day. Since there first meeting on Wednesday evening, she had been looking much better. She genuinely seemed to have the energy back that she had displayed the first few weeks of term. It didn't help, however, that while he spent his time at meals examining the Professor with growing admiration, Rabastan spent his meals examining Severus, with what Severus knew was _not_ admiration.

The other boy would sit further down the table and glare at him, and it took most of Severus's will power not to glare back at the other snotty boy who thought himself better than Severus in every way. It didn't take more than a few meals for the other students to notice that he had somehow fallen into distaste with Rabastan and he slowly found that more people were beginning to go out of there way to not sit with him. This of course meant that come Friday evening his dinner meal was spent sitting surround by first through third years who spent most of the meal speaking about the most mundane and pointless things Severus thought he had ever heard. Had he been like that when he was still their age, he wondered to himself. No, he hadn't spoken to anyone, so there was no way he had discussed anything of little importance.

Pushing the potato salad around with his fork before finally taking one last bite, he looked over at Regulus who was sitting down the table from him, speaking in what appeared to be heated terms with Rabastan. He wondered what had gotten the usually calm and studious Black so riled up. Frowning down the table he pulled his bag back up over his shoulder and stood up to leave the great hall, giving one last glance up at the head table. He had barely made it down the hall when he heard his name being called from behind him. He turned around to find that it was Lupin, the very last person that he wanted to speak to at the moment.

Sneering at the sandy-haired boy he tightened his grip on his bag, ready to walk very quickly the other way if Lupin was looking for a long conversation. "What is it, Lupin," he sneered, as Lupin got closer.

"I just wanted to talk to you for a moment," Lupin replied, his voice sounding weak before he cleared his voice, "I wanted to talk to you earlier, but I wasn't sure you would want to."

"You were right. And I still don't want to talk to you, so I will be on my way," Severus replied as he turned to go, only to have his arm caught by Lupin. "What are you doing," he growled down at the offending hand, as he yanked his arm back from the other boy.

"Please," Lupin tried again, "I want to apologize for the other night. I know that there is probably nothing that I can do that will make the situation better. Especially with the, well, you know," he then vaguely waved his hand around.

"Know what?" Severus replied, his glare fixated on the other boy.

"The life debt," Lupin whispered back.

At that, Severus began to march away from Lupin, unwilling to listen to the other boy's nonsense. Of course there was nothing he could do, he wasn't the one with the debt! Unfortunately for him, Lupin continued to follow him down the hallway.

"Sirius never should have led you down into the tunnel. I," he faltered there, "I could have killed you! The wolf in me could smell you coming down the hallway that evening and it was so eager to have you come through that trap door. If James hadn't," Lupin took a deep breath then. "I don't think I could have lived with myself if I had know that something had happened to you just because of my condition."

"Is that what you call it? Your _condition_," Severus sneered back, quickening his pace in hopes of losing the other boy.

"It isn't something I can control, you know. I would give just about anything in order to be rid of the curse of it," Lupin replied as he managed to keep up just fine with Severus. "I just wanted you to know that if you ever need a favor, or something that I can do, please let me know. I realize that it wont make up for what happened, but I am willing to at least try and make amends."

Severus sighed and abruptly stopped, knowing he could not out pace the other. "Fine. Just leave me alone. I don't need your pity, and I certainly don't need your charity. Just keep Black and Potter out of my way and we will call it even."

Lupin grinned a bit at that. "I will do what I can then. Thank you for letting us talk, Snape."

Severus merely nodded his head, his glare still firmly in place, before he turned and stormed away, glad that Lupin had given up on following him. Unfortunately, during his aimless march to try and get away from the other boy he had managed to move completely away from where he had originally been intending to go. Professor Hernshaw's office was how in the exact opposite direction from where he now was. Running his hand through his lanky hair in frustration, he began to quickly make his way back towards the other side of the castle, all the while hoping that he would not end up being late for their evening appointment.

He had over the past few days made some progress with looking over some of the resources that the professor had mentioned for protective spells, and had made some readjustments to his notes. It was of course in no way shape or form ready for the more meticulous tweaking that came after getting the generalities of it worked out, but it had most definitely been a step in the right direction. He hoped that by the time christmas rolled around he would be able to have a finished product that he could then use on a piece of his mother's jewelry. Preferably her wedding ring, something that she never took off.

And besides the work on his spell crafting he had also been making a bit of headway in regards to clearing his mind. The humming to himself as he cleared his mind seemed to help, but it was in no way a discreet means of preparing himself, especially if he was practicing this in order to help avoid anymore attacks on his mind. He had tried running the tune over in his head rather than humming out-loud, and that seemed to have the same sort of effect of being able to clear his mind of all other thoughts. But again, if someone was going to go into his mind, they would still run across the tune-less humming. He would have to ask the professor about that.

When he finally did reach her door, slightly out of breath from the speed at which he had been moving down the corridors, he knocked and straightened his robes out. Her voice drifted out from behind the door, and her heard her usual, "Come in."

So, he opened the door, expecting to see her behind her desk as usual, her hair slightly disheveled with her curls falling around her face, and papers spread in front of her. That much was true. He had not, however, been expecting to see the prim and proper Minerva McGonagall sitting in his usual chair. He gave a curt nod to the Gryfindor head of house while avoiding looking directly at her. He wasn't quite brave enough to bring himself to do that yet, considering how much trouble her gryfindors had gotten into with him just earlier in the week. "Should I come back at a different time?" He asked as he looked over at Professor Hernshaw. She looked slightly agitated, if he was any judge of her character at this point.

She didn't immediately answer and it was Mcgonagall who finally did. "If you do not mind Mr Snape, I have a few more things that I need to make clear to Professor Hernshaw this evening, and it would be best if you were to postpone your meeting until next week," McGonagall said with some amount of force. Severus was a bit surprised with the response. While the new depute headmistress was known to be strict, to completely reschedule another professor's meetings? Severus looked over at Professor Hernshaw and found that she was purposefully fascinated with a paper that lay on the desk in front of her, and was completely avoiding looking at him. That was something that had never happened before.

His frown deepening as he continued to examine his professor, he asked, "Will Monday at the same time be a good time for you, since tonight was obviously not." He couldn't help keep the slight disappointment out of his voice that he would not have a chance to spend the evening with his favorite professor. She unfortunately didn't even look up to address him, her gaze fixated on one point on her desk, as her hand played nervously with a small curl that had fallen from her bun.

"Yes. That would be a good time, Mr. Snape. Now if you will excuse us, Professor McGonagall has a bit more that she, um," she was obviously pausing to find the correct words, "needs to inform me of," she finished as she snuck a quick look over at him. She was quite clearly upset about something, and for the life of him he had no idea what that was.

"Very well, until next week then," he replied as he gave a curt nod to his professor, and then a quick nod to Professor Mcgonagall. Without even pausing to say goodbye he quickly made his way out the door and closed it quickly. He didn't however, move away immediately. Leaning up against the door, he pushed his ear to the door, curious to know what it was that Professor Mcgonagall would reschedule their appointment for and what was bothering his favorite professor.

It was difficult to make out the voices, but if he slowed and quieted his breath just enough, he could hear the faint sounds of their voices through the heavy door. It was Mcgonagall that spoke first after he had left. "I am telling you Hermione, he is a bad apple. He may have seemed to be perfectly polite while he was in detentions with you, but that doesn't mean that you have to keep up on this extra tutoring! Just think about what landed him with you in the first place! He almost killed, Mr. Black."

It was then that Professor Hernshaw spoke up, "Really, Minerva," she replied, her voice shaking, "For someone who preaches about house equality and a lack of prejudices you are doing quite a fine job in painting Mr. Snape as the worst of the worst and _I...I_ know that he is not. If you are looking for anyone to point fingers at it should be your gryfindors," the professor claimed, her voice growing louder as she obviously gained confidence in her speech. "They have spent the last six years ganging up on a single boy and no one in Hogwarts ever lifted and finger to put a permanent stop on it. I for one am glad to know that this is finally the end of the suffering that Mr. Snape will have to endure from their hands."

"Be that as it may, it all circles back to my original point. I don't know why you insisted on having that boy in your office every night. You could have split up the responsibility. Any of us would have happily taken him on for a night or two to give you a break. And now you are inviting him back. A few of the professors, my self included, are a bit concerned that your intentions towards the boy are not quite ... pure."

Severus felt his heart stop in his chest. Apparently Professor Hernshaw's had also, because she didn't say anything in response immediately. Could it be true that the Professor saw something in him that was more than just a mere student that she had taken a liking too in order to tutor? He had never considered their detention arrangement, or there arrangement now to be anything as scandalous as the depute headmistress was insinuating. They had kept within proper decorum at all times, well, at least she had. He would never admit to Professor Mcgonagall that he would sometimes catch himself staring at the other professor in a slightly less appropriate manner.

Maybe there was more to the professor's intentions, but she had never done anything to indicate to Severus that his admiration might be more than a one-sided fantasy. He leaned his ear back up against the door, only daring to hope that his professor's feelings might come to light. What he did hear however, made his insides curl slightly.

She made a slight scoffing sound first, one she had gotten over the apparent shock of the depute headmistress's accusations. "Me and Mr. Snape? Minerva, I think you need to get your head checked, as well as anyone else who has been sharing this ridiculous gossip with you. I don't have any more intentions towards him, then to help him hone a skill that the Hogwarts staff has been unable to help him with previously."

Severus was holding his breath at this point. He remembered his very first detention with her when she had found out about his spell crafting. She had not explicitly promised not to tell anyone, and he had to wonder if she would reveal him now that she was being directly approached about it.

"And what, prey tell, is that?"

"That, is something that I would like to remain between Mr. Snape and myself. Needless to say, it is not something that is inherently dangerous or evil, as you might be thinking."

"You will have to forgive my pondering, you do after all have some slightly more dubious skills from your work at the department of mysteries."

There was a silent pause and Severus had to wonder if they were glaring each other down.

"Hermione…" There was a sharp warning in the depute-headmistress's voice, and Severus filed the name away for later thought. Why not call her Georgia? Maybe it was her middle name?

"Really, Minerva. Trust me on this. It is really a matter that is just between myself and Severus."

"It is Severus now?" Severus pushed himself away from the door. He head heard enough to know what McGonagall had wanted to talk to Professor Hernshaw about, and he wasn't quite sure he wanted to eavesdrop anything more of their conversation. He wandered away towards the outer edge of the castle where there were large glass windows overlooking the grounds.

The pale moonlight filtered down through the windows as he came to a stop in front of the windows. He wondered if Professor Hernshaw would stop their evening meetings now that it had been brought to her attention that some of the other professors found it too promiscuous for a young female professor like herself to constantly be having private meetings with a seventh year male. He had to scoff at the idea. He did not think that anything would come of it, even if it were a small hope in the back of his own mind.

He had to be honest with himself though. If the professor ever _did_ show him any sort of interest in that way, he would not pause a second. His infatuation with her had grown to out compete what he had felt for Lily the previous year. She was smart, incredibly pretty, and unlike anyone else, seemed to genuinely enjoy the time that they spent together. That last part was what really got to him. No one at Hogwarts made any effort to spend any amount of time with him, not even Lily went out of her way anymore, and she, Professor Georgia Hernshaw did. She had spent more time with him over the past few weeks than even some of his housemates had spent with him over the past few years.

It quite honestly made him feel a bit giddy inside when he walked into her office and it was just the two of them. He genuinely hoped that Professor McGonagall's warning wouldn't put her off of the idea of spending any time with him. And in the mean time he would have to find out about the name that McGonagall had been calling her too.

Hermione.

* * *

A/N: Well there you have it. We are getting somewhere. Sort of...! It is a step in the right direction. I hope you all enjoyed it, and are excited for more. This was an extra long chapter! Please let me know what you think of it! I loved the reviews that I got last chapter and would love some feedback on this chapter. It is a bit difficult to know where exactly to go from here. I know what happens later, it is just this slight transition phase that I am having a hard time figuring out so if anyone has any suggestions I would be happy to hear from you!

Thanks for reading, please review! :D


	8. Chapter 8: The Comforts of Home

The Affair of Severus Snape

Chapter 8: The Comforts of Home

* * *

"Is this really necessary?" Severus asked as he looked between Rabastan and Beatrix, who had newly joined in this folly to get rid of Professor Hernshaw.

"You said yourself that she admitted her parents are both muggles," Beatrix spat a deep frown marring her otherwise smooth white skin. "What are you now, a muggle sympathizer?"

Severus let out a soft snort at the mere idea, "Hardly. I just think that I would like to have a competent teacher for my NEWT exams."

"That is why we have to get her replaced," Rabastan replied forcefully.

Severus had been arguing with his two Slytherin class mates for the past half hour in a deserted class room. So far, he had been unable to convince either of them that Professor Hernshaw might be valuable to them because of the sheer amount that she knew about defense. Despite having been able to keep himself calm throughout the entire conversation thus far, he could feel his patience wavering, and he knew that both Rabastan and Beatrix were thoroughly fed up with this conversation.

"Snape. even if she does know what she is talking about, it would be better if we could get someone that were more worthy of teaching here in Hogwarts. We are trying to look out for the good of the entire school. If the school continues to let mudbloods in to teach, just think of how many more mudbloods they will let in as students!"

Severus was frowning back at them. "I will keep my opinion and you may keep your own. I just happen to know for a fact that even if you do find someone to replace her they will have a difficult time matching her."

"You really are being difficult," Beatrix replied while Rabastan sat back and frowned at Severus.

"You certainly seem to be concerned for her well being," Rabastan added in as he leaned forward across the table that separated them. "It would be wise if you separated yourself from her in the coming month."

"What are you planning?" Severus asked, unable to keep a slight note of concern out of his voice as he watched Rabastan stand up.

"Nothing to concern yourself with. You have done your part, Snape," Rabastan replied coldly as he glared down at Severus. "It is apparent that you are not with us on this front, and we shall not be trusting you with more than what you have already done. Come, Beatrix, we are done here." And with that last parting shot, Rabastan moved quickly out the door, not waiting to see if Beatrix was following.

"Keep out of our way on this, Snape." Beatrix snapped, before she too disappeared out the door.

Severus was less quick to leave the classroom. Sighing heavily to himself, he leaned forward on the desk and ran his hands through his hair in frustration. That had not gone as he had hoped. Frustrated he slammed his hand down on the desk. How in the world was he suppose to be able to convince them that she needed to stay! Given their current mode towards her, he wasn't quite sure that he could. They were determined, and once a Slytherin set their mind to doing something, there was nothing that would stop them.

He violent pushed him away from the table they had been sitting at and stormed over to where the window was. His fist clenched at this sides he looked outside. Bellow the lake was a deep dark grey, the sky a matching swath of endless grey clouds. The leaves had begun changing, and the air brought in the immanent onset of fall.

He couldn't help but wonder if she would be able to outlast the onslaught of whatever the Slytherins had planned. But the more he thought about the more he thought that maybe she wouldn't. Slytherins got what they wanted. He had never been able to outlast any of them long when they wanted something from him, even though he was a Slytherin himself.

Feeling his anger drain out of him as he leaned up against the window, he sighed again to himself. There was no use worrying about it now. He was sure whatever was coming would be revealed within the coming weeks.

* * *

That next week during transfiguration, he couldn't help but notice the way in which Professor McGonagall continued to give him long penetrating stares when she thought he was too occupied to notice. It was unnerving to say the least. He couldn't help but shrink back a bit under her gaze. He knew what she thought about him and Professor Hernshaw, but he had not been expecting to be put under such close scrutiny during her class, especially considering that it took most of his concentration to cast any of the transfiguration spells correctly. He didn't appreciate having to split up his attention.

McGonagall, however, didn't seem to care or notice that she was causing him any reason for distress. He half expected her to keep him after class, but fortunately for him, she let him leave. Breathing a sigh of relief he made a quick dash out of the classroom and down the corridor before she had a chance to change her mind.

He continued to feel the gaze of Professor McGonagall throughout each and every meal, and it took all of his will power not to turn and glare straight back at her. He knew that wouldn't solve any of his problems, so he sat stoically with his back to her during most of his meals. This of course, unfortunately meant that he had no chance to observe how Professor Hernshaw was faring under McGonagall. It wasn't until the Wednesday evening that he finally had a chance to observe her.

It was during dinner when he had been unable to find an appropriate seat facing away from Mcgonagall that he sat with a view of the entire headtable, and it became blatantly apparent that she was trying her best of avoid McGonagall just as he had been. She was sitting towards the very end of the staff table next to the Professor Trewalney, who had been hired on just last year to teach divination.

Severus was slightly surprised to see Trewalney at dinner, seeing as she usually took it privately, but Professor Hernshaw seemed to be positively distressed about the seat she had chosen. She was doing her absolute best to ignore whatever it was that the other professor was saying, but Trewalney seemed most insistent as she leaned across the table and snatched Professor Hernshaw's teacup out of her hands.

That was apparently all that the final straw for her, as she stood up and marched away from the divination teacher, her bag slung over her shoulder as she stormed out of the dinning hall. Severus, was slightly surprised. He had always expected that she was patient enough to deal with most any situation, but apparently Trewalney did not fall into that category.

He was, unfortunately not the only one to notice the little display, because when he looked back up at the headtable he saw that Mcgonagall, who had been watching Professor Hernshaw leaving, now had her gaze turned back to Severus. Frowning slightly, he decided that he had also had enough of dinner. Gathering his things up off from the bench and exited the dinning hall.

Not caring that his meeting with the professor wasn't due to start for at least another hour, he followed the corridors towards her office, sure that was where she had retreated to. He ran across no one on his way towards her office, most everyone still being at dinner. He slowly approached her door and gathering himself up he knocked briskly on her door.

At first there was no answer and he wondered if she actually had come back to her office, but he could think of no where else she would have gone. Unexpectedly the door was flung open, revealing a rather frustrated and angry Professor Hernshaw. Severus held his breath, but as soon as she realized who it was standing at her door her expression softened, leaving her looking exhausted and frazzled.

"Mr. Snape, what are you doing here. Our meeting isn't for another hour." Rather that sounding like she was reprimanding him, however, her question seemed genuinely curious.

Severus paused. He didn't really have any good reason for having come early. He just wanted to see her. He hand't really had a chance to talk to her since last Wednesday. He let out a slight shrug. "I saw your little spat with Professor Trewalney," he replied as though that were reason enough.

She let out a mirthless chuckle and stepped away from the door frame. "Well come in then. No point in turning you away if you are already here." She left the door open with him and rather than going to sit at her desk, she made her way through the door that lead into her private quarters. Severus paused. Did she expect him to follow him in there? After all the fuss that Professor McGonagall had been making over the past week?

Apparently she did. Gathering up his courage he closed the office door behind him and made his way across the room to the other door. He stopped at the threshold of his professor's private quarters and took a deep breath. He didn't know anyone that had been into the private quarters of any professor. He stepped into the room and found that it was a small living room, furnished sparsely with a small upholstered love seat and leather chair arranged around a short coffee table.

Other than that the room had a number of books stacked in a haphazard fashion around the room, with no apparent manner of organization. It was not what he expected of a Professor's quarters. He always imagined them to be even more nicely done than the common rooms, but apparently that was not the case. Besides the three pieces of furniture and the books, the room was bare.

"Did you get enough to eat at dinner?"

Her voice floated out to him from a room that assumed was the small kitchen she had mentioned before.

"I am fine," Severus replied as he made his way over to the kitchen. She was standing in the kitchen, her hair pulled up to the top of her head as she stood in front of the stove, a soup slowly being heated on the stove. Her body was tense as she stood facing the stove, her arms crossed tightly across her torso. Severus stood in the doorway unsure as to what to do.

"Why don't you just ask the house-elves to bring you something else for dinner?" He asked out of curiosity as he stood awkwardly in the doorway, unsure of what he was doing.

"I actually enjoy cooking," she replied, not taking her eyes off of her pot.

"I do too. When I am at home I cook with my mother." She just nodded in acknowledgment, before she let out a soft sigh and went and started rummaging through the cupboard. She came back with a bottle of wine in hand.

"Would you like some?" she asked as she opened a different cupboard and pulled out two glasses, not waiting for his reply.

"Sure," he replied as she watched her uncork the bottle and pour generous amounts into each glass.

"It helps me unwind a bit," she said simply as she handed him a glass.

"What was Trewalney saying that got you so worked up?" Severus asked curiously as he took the glass from her.

"Oh, it is more than just her. It is Minerva, too. I am sure you have noticed," she replied as she raised the glass to her mouth to take a sip. "She has been on my case about tutoring you, and then that bat had to go and predict that I would very soon have a new love in my life."

Severus found his breath hitching in his throat. Not that he put much stock in divinations, but it made his heart flutter to think about the possibilities. "Really?" he asked, doing his best to make sure his voice didn't crack.

"Needless to say, it put me off of my dinner in the great hall completely," she replied, taking another gulp of wine. "I can't stand divinations."

"It most certainly is not the most loved subject," Severus replied diplomatically, just as the soup came to a boil. She sat her glass down on the small table pushed up against the wall and she deftly transferred the soup to a bowl and then retrieved her wine.

"We'll sit in the living room," she said as she motioned him out of the kitchen. He sank down into the leather armchair and sat his glass of wine onto the table in front of him.

He watched as she fanned at her soup, a curl escaping her bun as she went to take a sip of the soup. Brushing it away she carefully tasted it, before setting her spoon back down into the bowl. She pushed herself back into the corner of the love seat and curled her feet up under her. Severus found himself enchanted as he watched her, and praising whatever lucky star had landed him here in her quarters.

He didn't understand what had motivated her to let him in, but he was glad to be able to visit with her outside of the formal setting of her office.

They sat in silence for quite some time before she finally broke the silence. "I hope that Minerva has not been too much to put up with over these past few days," she said softly, a hint of apology creeping into her voice.

Severus shook his head quickly. "She has not said anything to me. She just gives me some odd stares during class and meals." Severus noticed immediately that this wasn't what the professor wanted to hear. Her shoulders drew in together as she leaned over her bowl of soup as she idly stirred it with her spoon.

"She means well," she said as she looked back over at him. "She, as well as some of the other professors, are afraid we haven't been quite proper. Not that it is really any of their business. I know you to be of age."

Severus was a bit surprised at this. How in the world was she suppose to know that. His confusion obviously showed on his face.

"Oh don't look so put out. Your birthday is in the school records and after your incident with Black I went to see what they had on you. Quite the long list of detentions they have filed in there."

Severus gave a short, an unamused snort at that. "Undoubtedly. And now because of your detentions the professors think we are..." he trailed off while waiving his hand in front of himself.

"Yes."

"I see." Severus glanced at her again. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if they were. "I don't suppose inviting me into your quarters is going to do anything to ease the situation then," Severus replied, a slight smirk finding its way to his face.

"Well, no," the professor replied slowly. "It wont, but I wont tell anyone about it this one time if you don't."

Severus's smirk grew even larger as he watched her give a small smile back at him. "I think I can agree to that."

"Good. I wouldn't want to have to swipe your memories in order to keep face with the other professors!" she said with a laugh as she took a large spoonful of her soup. Gulping it down she continued, "Regardless, we have not done anything that requires such hard scorn. Hopefully a few more days of this, and Minerva will begin to loose interest and leave us alone."

"Maybe," Severus conceded, as he watched her set her bowl down on the coffee table.

"How has your work on your protection spell been going?" She asked, scooting forward on the edge of the couch, ready for their evening discussions.

The rest of the night was spent in the comforts of the Professor's quarters as they argued between themselves on the proper ways of approaching the spell. The bottle of wine relaxed them both as they enjoyed the banter back and forth. By the end of it, his spell was coming along quite nicely and he was certain that he would have it completed by the time Christmas break came along.

He didn't leave her rooms until just before curfew, only leaving himself enough time to scramble back down to his own room. He knew that he had been smiling at her quite obviously by the end of the night, and she had just smiled back. That lovely smile, her cheeks red from the wine and her eyes sparkling.

It had been lovely and Severus couldn't seem to stop smiling to himself.

* * *

a.n. well there you have it. I have had this sitting around on my harddrive for a while, all but the end of the chapter done. finals are finally over so hopefully i will get a few chapters popped up over break.

so, sorry for the wait for this chapter, especially after i had been doing so well with the weekly updates!

i hope it was a good chapter! it was a nice step forward to have them in a more comfortable atmosphere. things should progress quite nicely from here! ;)

and as always please review! :D


	9. Chapter 9: Winter Celebration

The Affair of Severus Snape

Chapter 9: Winter Celebrations

* * *

The next few weeks continued in much the same fashion as it had after McGonagall had approached Professor Hernshaw about her time with Severus. They continued to meet on a regular basis every week to discuss spell crafting and mind arts, as well as the daily goings on of the castle. Sometimes when the mood seemed to strike the professor Severus would have the pleasure of holding theses meetings within her private quarters.

These handful of times were usually accompanied with a warm meal, a glass of the professor's preferred wine and happy banter that usually threatened to keep Severus out past curfew. Despite that he never complained about it getting too late.

Professor McGonagall had stopped her constant observation after two weeks, but Severus could still sometimes find himself under her calculating stare, especially on the days after their usual meeting.

Regardless of this, everything had been running smoothly for Severus. The marauders stayed out of his way for the most part, and the Slytherins remained impassive to him. He still had not managed to gain any information as to what they might be planning for his professor, but he took that as a good sign. If he had been unable to notice anything out of the ordinary, he assumed it meant that they still had not come up with a viable means to get rid of her. If they had, he was sure they would have boasted it to him.

The only thing that seemed to be an imminent upheaval from his relatively peaceful past few weeks had been announced at breakfast the previous week. A ball. It was to be held the evening before the winter break began. Normally this would not have sent Severus into any sort of agitation, but this year was slightly different. Unlike previous years where he knew the marauders would have never let him have a dance with Lily, this year there were less people that would take immediate action if he took a dance with the object of his affection. After all, it was not unheard of students taking a dance with some of the professors, even if it was slightly out of character for Severus.

The only flaw with this plan of course was that if he did plan on dancing with Professor Hernshaw, he would have to learn how to dance first. And it was therefore, because of this, that he found himself standing behind a shelf in the library wondering just how long some of the other boys were going to take standing in front of the wizarding etiquette section looking for books that might help teach them how to properly woe their ladies for the winter ball.

Frowning to himself, Severus continued to pretend that he was highly interested in the section of books pertaining to merpeople as he waited for the section to clear out. he wished they would hurrier up and make their choices or just leave, it had been over a week since the ball had been announced! There was only so long that he could pretend to have an interest in merpeople!

* * *

Severus stalked down the halls, looking at the students mingling about in slight disgust. There were too many giggling girls hanging about in the hall, and too many single boys casting shy looks towards them. It only exasperated the entire problem. Severus kept his pace firm as continued down the hallway towards a less used section of the castle.

As he progressed the amount of students began to diminish until he was finally able to move down a corridor and slip into an unused room, unseen by any of the other students. The room was small, but still big enough for his purposes. He unslung the book-bag from his shoulder and pulled out the book. It was an old faded volume on etiquette that had escaped the interest of some of the other boys due to it's outward appearance. It did however, have a detailed enough section on dance technique to give Severus the knowledge that he needed. Sitting down against the wall, Severus flipped it open to the preferred section.

His mind baffled at the diagrams that showed a range of steps. Setting his resolve he set his mind to learning what he could about the art of dancing from the book. Severus was enthralled by the intricate twist, turns, steps, and shuffles described in the book. Finally after a good deal of time Severus stood up, propping the book on the window ledge.

Feeling a bit foolish, but not enough so to deter him, he pulled out a small wizarding wireless that he had nicked off of one of the first years. Taping his wand to it, a slow waltz emitted into the room. Smiling slightly to himself, he glanced once at the book. Then, imagining his fair skinned professor, he slowly bowed.

The image in his mind smiled back and he placed one hand on the imaginary waist, and gently took up her other hand in his. He slowly started practicing the steps described in the book. After having stumbled a few times he slowly became more self assured and the grin on his face grew. He would have his dance with Professor Hernshaw. She would smile and laugh with him, and he would get to hold her close.

Just as the song was finishing, he could imagine bending down over her and placing a soft kiss on her warm lips. He could almost hear her moan in pleasure.

"Oh, James," came the soft voice, floating across the room from the door that had quietly been opened.

Severus spun where he stood, one arm still raised. "Lily!" he gasped out in surprise. Just as the song had ended James Potter and Lily Evans had stumbled into the room, too involved with each other to recognize that it had already been occupied.

His surprise was enough to break them both out of their enamored kisses and Lily straightened quite quickly. Her cheeks were crimson red, and her hands went up quickly to straighten the clothing and hair that Potter had disheveled. "Severus," she choked out, looking frantically between him and the door. She was like a deer in the headlights. "What, um, what are you doing here?"

"Studying," he replied, although he could feel his cheeks starting to redden as the next waltz quietly came from the radio.

"Studying?" Potter scoffed, as he realized immediately what Severus had been doing in the room. Lily took a glance at the book on the windowsil and then her eyes widened as she saw the footing diagrams.

"Oh, Severus," Lily sighed as she looked at Severus with a does of pity and apology in her eyes, "James already asked me." Severus felt his insides begin to boil as anger welled up. He might have considered trying to ask Lily last year, but did she honestly think she was the only one that would ever catch his eye? Especially considering they had hardly seen each other this year and had only had a few brief impersonal encounters in the library.

"That was quite obvious," Severus replied, unable to keep the slight sneer out of his voice as he walked to the window and stuffed the radio and book back into his bag.

"Maybe I can save you a dance though," Lily replied, completely oblivious of the way in which she was fueling Severus's aggravation. He turned and stared into her bright green eyes.

"I wouldn't want to take any of your time away from your precious Potter," he replied with a scowl before he stalked out of the room. He could hear her call for him to wait, and Potter telling her to just leave it. He paced quickly down the hall, his frustration pouring off of him in waves. He liked Lily, they had been good friends when they had been younger, but sometimes she could be a bit too self-important.

Well, he didn't need her pity or apology. He wasn't learning to dance for her. It was for _her_, Professor Hernshaw.

* * *

"Come here I want to show you something," she called from the living room. He exited the kitchen with two glasses of wine in his hand. Tonight was one of those special evening in which he had been invited into her quarters. It was exactly what he needed, calming his nerves from his encounter with Lily earlier the previous week. He had spent most of the week stewing over it, and was glad to be able to unwind in the company of Professor Hernshaw. He went to go sit down in the armchair as he usually did.

"Come sit over here," she said before he had a chance to sit fully. He looked at her in surprise. She had never offered to have him sit on the couch next to her. Straightening his back, he walked around the table and handed her a glass before sitting gingerly down onto the short couch. In front of them was spread the final diagram for his spell.

They sat close. Her body was close enough to him that he could feel the warmth radiating off of her, and the delicate almost unnoticeable scent of her perfume waifed to his nose. He turned his head slightly to gaze at her, she was so close.

"I think that it is finished," she said triumphantly as she raised her glass in victory, turning to smile at him. "Just in time to go home and use it next week. Congratulations!"

Her eyes were shinning and her face took up his entire view. He raised his glass to hers and clicked them together. "Thank you," he replied, unable to keep a slight smile off of his own face as he raised the glass to his lips while watching her mirror his actions. "I couldn't have done it without you," he said softly after he had taken a sip.

She laughed, her eyes crinkling in pleasure. "You would have figured it out even without me, Severus," she replied, her voice tinkling in his ears. She had never called him Severus to his face before. He felt his chest grow warm, his eyes working to memorize her happy face.

"Regardless, thank you . . . Georgia." The name slipped from his tongue like pure honey. It was a forbidden feeling. Intoxicating. You weren't suppose to do this with your teacher, but he could not bury it, the feelings that had grown in him.

He watched her face freeze momentarily before she swallowed reflexively. "Severus..." she trailed off, her eyes seemed to search his as he held her gaze. "I don't know if," she paused and took in a gulp of air, "I don't know if you should..."

He didn't care anymore though. It had been weeks since he had meet her. Weeks since he had begun to fall in love with her. Weeks of patiently watching her from afar. He don't know when he had decided it, but he was done waiting. He leaned down and he kissed her.

Her lips were soft and sweet beneath him. He pulled back slightly, he could feel her breath fluttering across his lips and then heard the slight happy sigh that escape her. Her eyes had closed and he brought a hand up to caress the side of her face. It was just as soft as he had imagined it would be. She leaned into his hand before turning her head slightly and giving a small kiss to the tips of his fingers. "I have wanted to do that for weeks," he whispered, as he ran his fingers into the hair that had fascinated his thoughts since she had arrived into his life.

She looked up at him, a soft smile splayed across her lips before she took his hand in hers. "I would be foolish if I said I had never considered it in these past weeks. Especially after Minerva..." she trailed off, shaking her head. Severus reached out and grabbed her chin and then leaned in and gave her another kiss. This time it last longer, his lips moving over hers, willing her to be quite and let him kiss her.

She obliged, bringing her hand up to rest on his shoulder as she leaned into him. His hand traveled down from her hair, across the soft skin of her arms and down to rest on her petite waist, his thumb rubbing patterns across material. She let out another soft moan and Severus leaned her back into the corner of the couch, pressing his body against hers, feeling her pert breast push back against his own body.

She tilted her head up towards the ceiling, and he continued to kiss her along her neck, stopping only when he came to the juncture of her loose fitting blouse. It was then that he froze unsure of what to do. He had never been this close to another woman. She apparently felt his hesitation though, because she let out a soft amuse chuckle as he pulled his head back towards his, and she kissed him softly.

He pulled back, holding himself up over her, "I have never," he began but she cut him off putting a finger up to his lips.

"Hush, be happy with your kisses tonight," she said as she leaned up and gave him another kiss, her tongue darting out to give a quick lick to his lips. He hummed happily at the ministrations before falling back against the couch next to her and then reached out to her waist and drew her up on top of his lap.

His head fell back against the couch as he looked up at her, her lips and cheeks looking slightly redder then when the evening had begun, and her hair falling about her face.

"You are beautiful," he said as he reached his hand up to caress her cheek again. She let out a soft smile at his compliment and leaned down to drop a kiss on top of his forehead.

"We will apparently have to be a bit more conscious of our meetings now," she said with a soft laugh as she leaned her head down into the crook of his neck. "Wouldn't do for Minerva to get on our case again, even though now her argument is valid." This seemed to amuse her to no end and she laughed in delight, and Severus found it infectious. A smile split his face as he ran his hand across the small of her back.

"I would be willing to put up with any of the professors for this," he replied quietly.

"I know," she whispered back, and then she kissed him again.

* * *

a.n.: Merry christmas! I hope you have enjoyed it, sure took them long enough and I wasn't even planning on having them get their first kisses in this chapter.


	10. Chapter 10: Yule Ball and Winter Tidings

The Affair of Severus Snape

_Chapter Ten_: Yule Ball and Winter Tidings

* * *

_December 20, 1978_

Severus straightened his robes one last time, brushed the non-existent dust off of them, and took one long deep breath as he surveyed his reflection in the mirror. The dark black dress robes that had been sitting in the bottom of his trunk since the last ball he had been to had been to short for him. It had taken some convincing and bribing of Beatrix to get her to modify them properly for him, but it had been well worth the two weeks of potions homework he had promised her. The robes fit far better now, and he was certain not to be a complete embarrassment.

Everyone else for his dorm had already left with their respective dates, and he was left to finish in peace. Rabastan had been putting on airs about being able to have his choice of date, while Severus was yet again dateless. The words, however, had not stung as bitterly as they had in past years. This year, Severus had someone, even if they were not quite sure what to call each other.

Girlfriend and boyfriend? Most certainly not. While they had continued to explore their mutual attraction to one another, they were not in a relationship that was exemplified by such signifiers.

Lovers? Not yet. While he probably would have crossed that line with her, she was clear that they should not approach that until after Severus was out of school. So not lovers.

Whatever it was that they were, Severus was happy. Happier than he could ever remember being here at Hogwarts. A small content smile spread over his lips as he thought of her. Georgia. He had decided after the second time that they had kissed that it was inappropriate of him to continue to refer to her by her last name, considering that they were involved in a blossoming relationship.

Making sure that his dress shoes were tied, and charmed against becoming loose (he wouldn't want to trip on a shoelace!) he made his way out of the dorms and up towards the great hall. His heart was humming in his chest as he approached and could hear the music wafting out of the hall. Many of the younger students were mingling outside of the door, blushing as their respective dates arrived and they entered the hall together.

Severus walked slowly through the entrance himself and was impressed with how well the staff had decorated for the party. The usual candles that floated above the tables had been replaced with grandiose chandeliers that twinkled in the flickering candle light. The ceiling had also been charmed to softly let down a snow that disappeared right before it dipped bellow the chandeliers. Bellow the enchanted ceiling, couples were happily dancing to the music that filled the hall. The happy chatting of the students that lined the sides of the hall, filled in the breaks in the music.

Without wasting a second thought, the first person that Severus's eyes sought out of the crowd was Georgia. It did not take him long to spot her. She was standing off to the side of room, a light crystal goblet in her hand and a smile on her face as she observed the students that were dancing in front of her. Severus couldn't help but smile a bit himself.

Determined, however, to show at least some patience, Severus steeled himself against making a direct beeline to her. Instead he used this chance to stand off to the side and observe how the other students had paired off. Beatrix was looking rather bored as Rabastan twirled her around the room, a slightly determined look on his face as he obviously tried to impress her. Regulus on the other hand was dancing with a rather beautiful younger student from the ravenclaw house. Severus had to admit that while Regulus did not flaunt it in the same manner as Black did, he was just as successful in his persist of girls.

Lily was obviously dancing with Potter. Much to Severus's own distaste she did seem to be enjoying herself quite a bit. While he could not fault Lily for wanting to be happy, he wished she would find someone else to be happy with. Shaking his head, his eyes made their way back over to where Georgia was standing just in time for her to see her accept the headmaster's hand and join him on the dance floor.

While when he had first walked in he had not gotten a good look at what she had been wearing, he was now close enough that he could fully appreciate her. What left him looking rather hungrily after her as she walked out towards the center of the dance floor was the back of her dress. The material of the dress scooped down the length of her entire back, and would have been exposed had it not also been covered with a soft draping of sheer material.

His eyes never leaving her as the headmaster ran her through a number of rather elaborate twirls around him. Severus watched as her hair, tumbling softly around her shoulders framed her happy face. So engrossed was he in watching Georgia that he barely even noticed as the song began to change and a familiar red-head appeared at his side.

"You are looking quite handsome tonight, Severus," Lily complimented as she approached him.

Severus startled out of his observation and looked back over at Lily. She was wearing a rather revealing emerald green dress, her hair twisted up on the top of her head.

"Thank you," her replied, his voice rising above the music before he quickly glanced around the room, quickly pinpointing that both Potter and Black were over gathering drinks.

"You don't have to worry about them anymore, you know. Remus set them right. I think they are growing up," she said, completely aware of who he was looking for.

"I think I will remain cautious," he replied before returning his gaze to her. "What do you want?"

"I was wondering if you would like to join me in a dance," she said as she motioned towards the dance floor, "As an apology for never getting a chance to dance with you before this, and for that embarrassing run in a few weeks ago."

At this Severus had to scoff a bit. He had, had no intention of dancing with Lily tonight, but ever ball previous to this he had always wanted to dance with her. So now, when he had no desire, she had to come over and flaunt herself in front of him. "And you are sure I will receive no ill affects from accepting your offer?" he asked as he tilted his head towards where Potter and Black stood.

"I will make sure to keep them away. Besides, this is our last ball here at Hogwarts, and you being my oldest friend deserve a dance," Lily persisted, before reaching out and grabbing his hand.

Left with few choices that would not offend Lily, Severus allowed himself to be pulled along towards the middle of the ball room. A moderately paced song began to be played, and with a with a bit of awkwardness Severus began to dance with Lily. She stayed close to him, as if intentionally trying to tease him, her eyes glittering with mirth and she spun around him, her hair whirling around her. Severus watched her, his face masked from emotion as he continued through the motions of dancing wither her.

It wasn't as he always expected it might be. When he was younger he imagined it would be a magical moment, filled with glittering fairies dancing overhead and flowers blooming in their wake. This had nothing magical about it. If anything he felt his movements forced with a lack of any emotional closeness to his dance partner. She had eluded him for far to long over the past two or three years for him to feel the closeness they had shared when they were younger.

The song came to an end and Lily looked at him, a breathless expression on her face. "Thank you, Severus. That was marvelous. Looks like all that practice did you good," she said cheerfully as she grinned up at him.

"Thank you," was all Severus said as he left a small kiss on the back of her hand. "Now, I am sure your boyfriend is looking for you everywhere, and I don't want to be in the vicinity, so if you will excuse me."

It was not until much later in the evening when Georgia had already shared a number of dances with various professors and students that Severus finally made his move. Slowly moving over towards where Georgia was chatting with a younger fourth-year girl, he tapped her lightly on the shoulder and held out his hand.

"Would you care to dance with me?" he asked, unable to keep the slight inclination of excitement out of his voice or the small upward twist of his lips.

He was enchanted as she watched her eyes sparkle, and the quick lick of her lips before she took his hand was enough to make him want to kiss her. "Of course, Mr. Snape." Her soft hand grasped his, and he slowly lead them out onto the dance floor. A slow meandering waltz was struck up and Severus, with more grace than he had shown Lily, began to lead his partner around the dance floor. They did not say anything as they danced, but Severus could tell by the light in his professor's eyes that she was enjoying herself.

He allowed himself a small victorious smirk as he held her in his arms. He wished he had the nerves to look up for McGonagall but he did not think he would have been able to hid his look of successful rebellion. He therefore allowed himself to continue to look down at the head of curls that was almost just bellow his chin. And while the dancing was not magic, it felt right. She seemed to him to fit perfectly within his arms, and the warmth he felt from her was more a feeling of home and contentment in comparison he had ever felt for Lily.

Despite his wishes however, the song finally did end, and Georgia pulled away from him. "That was lovely, Severus," she whispered just quietly enough for him to hear. "Would you like to get some refreshments?" she asked as she pointed towards the side of the room where bowls of punch had been set out.

Severus nodded his head in acquiescence and allowed her to lead the way off of the dance floor. With punch in hand they found a quieter corner of the great hall.

"Have you been enjoying your evening thus far? I saw that you danced with Ms. Evans." Her gaze seemed intense to Severus for such a question, but he brushed it aside.

Giving an indifferent shrug he took a quick sip of his juice. "The evening has been fine, I am lucky I have thus far avoided any conflict over that dance with Lily."

"Have they been giving you much trouble lately?" Georgia asked as she scanned the room for the boys in question.

"No, not at all, which is a pleasant reprieve from what normally happens through a school year.

"That is for the best then," she responded with a content sigh, the glass of punch remaining untouched in her hands.

Severus glanced over at her, his throat suddenly constricting as he prepared to ask a question that had been floating around in his mind recently. Glancing around quickly to make sure that no one was listening to them he quickly turned his back to the rest of the room and faced her. "Professor Hernshaw, I was wondering if you would like to get dinner or coffee at some point over break. Away from all this," he said softly with a wave of his hand. He could feel his cheeks heating now that he had said it, but he refused to look away.

Her eyes had widened in surprise and her mouth had gone slightly lack, before a large smile spilled onto her face and she nodded. "Of course, Mr. Snape. Shall I send you an owl when you arrive home in order to finalize all of the details?"

Severus nodded. "That would be perfect," he replied with a soft smile. He stepped back to her side to observe the dancers. "Are you going anywhere else outside of Hogwarts for the break?" he asked, giving her a sideways glance.

"No, I will be staying here, but will most certainly have time for quick excursions to the outside world," she said with a small laugh as she gulped down the very last of drink. "Well, Mr. Snape, I hope you some very happy holidays. I really must return to supervising the dance."

"Very well, Professor. Thank you for the dance," Severus replied, his eyes glittering with mischievously as he thought forward to their meeting outside of Hogwarts. It would be a completely different experience. They wouldn't have to try all of this dancing around each other in the public, and they would have the chance to speak freely in areas outside of her personal rooms. Severus could hardly wait.

With a bounce that was not usually in his step, Severus walk around the room a few more times, before the music finally began to die down and the students began to trickle out to bed. Yes, for the first time in what seemed like a very long time, Severus was truly looking forward to the holidays.

* * *

Severus did not get another chance to see his professor before leaving for break. Instead, he had carefully packed away a small sapphire necklace that he had charmed for his mother. He had carefully folded it within a small handkerchief, tucked deeply within his trunk.

Most of the other students chatted cheerfully with one another about the upcoming holidays. There was however, one group of students that Severus felt were particularly conspicuous. Rabastan, Beatrix and Regulus had thrown him some rather superior looks throughout breakfast, reminding Severus very much of young children who knew a secret but were unwilling to tell. Knowing them, however, Severus spent the rest of the train ride on high alert, looking out for anything that seemed out of place.

Severus remained anxious throughout the entire train ride. However, nothing happened until the very end when Beatrix came to his compartment and stood within the doorway. "Thank you for all of your help these past few months, Severus," she said, her head held in a haughty fashion as she looked down at where Severus was sitting. "I do hope that you enjoyed your time with that mudblood of yours."

Severus felt himself tense up. She was most certainly talking about Georgia. "What do you mean?" he asked, trying to keep his voice as calm as possible as he felt his throat tighten.

Beatrix gave a small coy laugh, "Never you mind that. Lucius was, however, quite pleased with the information you provided us. Here is your reward, use it wisely." She pulled a small purse from the folds of her robes and sat it on the seat next to Severus. "Have a good break, Snape." Severus opened his mouth again, but before he had the chance to respond she had left the compartment.

He stared after her for a moment before he reached over to the sack and loosened the drawstrings, pulled the brim open. Inside was a small stack of shadow nettles, a rare and expensive ingredient used in a number of banned potions. With a frown on his face, Severus closed the bag tucked it into his pocket. A smug Beatrix was never a good sign for anyone, and Severus's thoughts quickly returned to Georgia, and what the Slytherin house had planned to do.

Knowing there was nothing he could do immediately, his attention refocused to going home so that he could summon his mother's owl to send an urgent letter back to Hogwarts.

* * *

a.n.: It has been a while, but here we are again. The semester ended and I now have oodles of time back on my hands. Things should start to really speed up quite a bit now that the slytherin plan is in motion and we have made it to the winter break! Bad news for Severus & Georgia(hermione!) is on the horizon, but it really will all work out in the end, I promise!

Also, sort of a dullish chapter but I promise the next one will be much more exciting with a lot of plot advancement (at least that is the plan!)


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